ɹˈiːsənt stˈʌdiz ʌv ˌɛmtˈiː dˌiːˌɛnˈeɪ fɹʌm ˈɔːl fˈoːɹ ɛkstˈænt lˈeɪoʊplmə spˈiːsiːz duːnˌɑːt səpˈoːɹt ðə ɹɪzˈʌlts ʌvðɪ ˈæləzˌaɪm ɐnˈæləsˌɪs, haʊˈɛvɚ; ðə dʒɪnˈɛɾɪk dˈɪfɹəns bᵻtwˌiːn ˈɛl. pˈeɪkkə ænd ˈɛl. hˌæmɪltˈoʊni ɪz nˈoʊ ɡɹˈeɪɾɚ ðɐn ðæt sˈiːn bᵻtwˌiːn dˈɪfɹənt pˌɑːpjʊlˈeɪʃənz ʌv ˌɑːɹtʃˈaɪz fɹˈɑːɡ ˈɛl. ˌɑːɹtʃˈaɪi, wˌɪtʃ kˈɔːlz ˌɪntʊ kwˈɛstʃən ðə dˌɛzɪɡnˈeɪʃən ʌvðə mˈɔːd ˈaɪlənd fɹˈɑːɡ æz ɐ sˈɛpɹət spˈiːsiːz.
Recent studies of mtDNA from all four extant Leiopelma species do not support the results of the allozyme analysis, however; the genetic difference between L. pakeka and L. hamiltoni is no greater than that seen between different populations of Archey's frog (L. archeyi), which calls into question the designation of the Maud Island frog as a separate species.