Host-defense peptides from skin secretions of the tetraploid frogs Xenopus petersii and Xenopus pygmaeus, and the octoploid frog Xenopus lenduensis (Pipidae)

► Magainin, PGLa, and CPF peptides have been isolated from skin secretions of three Xenopus species. ► Xenopus petersii has a close but not conspecific phylogenetic relationships with Xenopus laevis. ► Xenopus pygmaeus does not belong in the laevis and muelleri species groups. ► Xenopus lenduensis expresses the full complement of four PGLa genes. ► CPF peptides show the greatest antimicrobial activity.