A recently discovered 160 million-year-old fossil has been identified as the oldest known frog on record, breaking the previous record of 145 million years.
The fossil belongs to an ancient frog species called Notobatrachus degiustoi, and is an exceptionally well-preserved specimen, measuring almost 16 cm (6 inches) in length.
The large size of this frog suggests it was close to its metamorphosis phase, indicating that “frog gigantism” may have been common among the evolutionary ancestors of modern frogs and toads.
This fossil provides the first direct evidence of frog anatomy and feeding mechanisms (like the hyobranchial apparatus) dating back to the Jurassic period, significantly enhancing our understanding of the early evolution of the frog life cycle.
The exceptional preservation of this 160-million-year-old frog, including soft tissues, represents a remarkable paleontological find that pushes back the known fossil record of this amphibian larval stage by 15 million years.
Source: Science Alert
