The　Chinese　bamboo　leaf　odorous　frog　(Rana　(Odorrana)　versabilis)　and　the　North　American　pickerel　frog　(Rana　palustris)　occupy　different　ecological　niches　on　two　different　continents　with　no　overlap　in　geographical　distribution.　R.　palustris　skin　secretions　contain　a　formidable　array　of　antimicrobial　peptides　including　homologs　of　brevinin-1,　esculentin-1,　esculentin2,　ranatuerin-2,　a　temporin　and　a　family　of　peptides　considered　of　unique　structural　attributes　when　isolated,　palustrins　1-3.　Here　we　describe　the　structures　of　mature　peptides　and　precursors　of　eight　putative　antimicrobial　peptides　from　the　skin　secretion　of　the　Chinese　bamboo　leaf　odorous　frog　(Rana　(Odorrana)　versabilis).　Each　peptide　represents　a　structural　homolog　of　respective　peptide　families　isolated　from　R.　palustris,　including　two　peptides　identical　in　primary　structure　to　palustrin　1c　and　palustrin　3b.　Additionally,　two　peptides　were　found　to　be　structural　homologs　of　ranatuerin　2B　and　ranatuerin　2P　from　the　closely-related　North　American　species,　Rana　berlandieri　(the　Rio　Grande　leopard　frog)　and　Rana　pipiens　(the　Northern　leopard　frog),　respectively.　Both　palustrins　and　ranatuerins　have　hitherto　been　considered　unique　to　North　American　ranid　frogs.　The　use　of　primary　structures　of　amphibian　skin　antimicrobial　peptides　is　thus　questionable　as　a　taxonomic　device　or　alternatively,　the　micro-evolution　and/or　ancestry　of　ranid　frogs　is　more　highly　complex　than　previously　thought.　(c)　2006　Elsevier　Inc.　All　rights　reserved.