Ancient Toad Fossils From La Brea Offer Insights Into Ice Age Climate

WHO:

CNN - Dr. J. Alberto Cruz, lead study author and research associate at La Brea Tar Pits.

CNN - Dr. Emily Lindsey, coauthor and curator at the Samuel Oschin Center for Global Ice Age Research at La Brea Tar Pits.

Phys.org - Researchers involved in the discovery of the new species of toad.

WHAT:

CNN - A new species of extinct ice age amphibian, a spadefoot toad named Spea labreae, was discovered.

CNN - This toad is only the second extinct Pleistocene amphibian from North America ever found.

CNN - The fossils of the toad were fragments of the sacro-urostyle, measuring about 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) in length.

CNN - The tar pits have been active and trapping animals for the last 60,000 years.

CNN - The discovery doubled the number of known extinct ice age amphibians from North America.

WHERE:

CNN - The La Brea Tar Pits, located in Los Angeles, California.

CNN - The nearest known populations of the Mexican burrowing toad are about 1,550 miles (nearly 2,500 kilometers) away in southern Mexico.

WHEN:

CNN - The study reporting the findings was published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology on a Wednesday.

CNN - The fossils were excavated in 1929 but remained unstudied until 2023.

WHY:

CNN - The discovery of the toad provides insights into the prehistoric climate of Los Angeles and could help researchers protect endangered amphibians today.

CNN - Amphibians are sensitive to climate change, making their fossils valuable for predicting future climate conditions.

HOW:

CNN - The fossils were found in a collection of specimens excavated in 1929, which had not been thoroughly studied until recently.

CNN - The tar pits preserve fossils by protecting bones from weathering, decay, and exposure to environmental factors.

(UPDATED August 5, 2026 22:16 UTC)

Researchers at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles have discovered a new species of extinct ice age amphibian, a spadefoot toad named Spea labreae, which is only the second extinct Pleistocene amphibian ever found in North America. The fossils, measuring about one centimeter in length, were excavated in 1929 but remained unstudied until 2023, and this discovery doubles the number of known extinct ice age amphibians from the region. This finding not only sheds light on the prehistoric climate of Los Angeles but also offers valuable insights for protecting endangered amphibians today, as these creatures are particularly sensitive to climate change.