Vieraella

Vieraella is an extinct genus of frogs that lived during the early part of the Jurassic period, around 180 million years ago. It was discovered in the Roca Blanca Formation in Argentina and is considered one of the oldest known true frogs. Scientists learned about this ancient frog from a single, very well-preserved fossil specimen labeled P.V.L. 2188.

This fossil shows important details about Vieraella, such as its backbone and ribs, as well as parts of its arms. The bones of its skull share some features with another group of early frogs called discoglossids. Studying Vieraella helps scientists understand how frogs evolved and what they were like long ago.

Description

Despite living around 188 million years ago, Vieraella was very similar to modern frogs. Its hind legs were adapted for jumping, and its skull had a lattice-like form like frogs today. It was a very small frog, measuring only 3 centimetres (1.2 in) in length. While there are older frog-like creatures, such as Triadobatrachus, they had many primitive traits and are not considered "true" frogs.