A tiny Ice Age toad has emerged as one of the most surprising recent discoveries from Los Angeles’ famous La Brea Tar Pits.

Researchers have identified a previously unknown extinct spadefoot toad from fossil material preserved in the La Brea collections. The species has been named Spea labreae, after the Los Angeles fossil site where its remains were found. The discovery was described in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

The finding is unusual because the fossils had been collected decades ago. Researchers reviewing older specimens eventually recognized characteristics that separated the tiny amphibian from other known species.

A Fossil That Went Unnoticed for Decades

The newly identified toad was not discovered during a fresh excavation.

Instead, researchers found evidence of the species while examining amphibian and reptile material already held in the La Brea collections. Some of the relevant fossils had been excavated as far back as the 1950s.

That makes the discovery a reminder that major scientific finds can sometimes be hiding in museum collections for generations.

Lead author Dr. Alberto Cruz was reviewing understudied amphibian and reptile fossils when he recognized features that indicated the specimens represented a previously unknown species.

Meet Spea labreae

Spea labreae was a spadefoot toad that lived in the Los Angeles area during the Pleistocene, commonly known as the Ice Age.

Unlike the mammoths, saber toothed cats and other large animals that made the La Brea Tar Pits famous, the newly identified animal was small. But its size does not make the discovery insignificant.

Amphibian fossils are particularly valuable because frogs and toads are sensitive to environmental conditions and generally remain close to suitable water sources. Their remains can therefore provide clues about ancient habitats and climate.

Only the Second Known Extinct Ice Age Amphibian in North America

The discovery is especially notable because extinct Pleistocene amphibians are extremely rare in North American fossil records.

Researchers say Spea labreae is only the second extinct Pleistocene amphibian species identified in North America. The other is an extinct tree frog discovered in Florida.

That rarity gives the Los Angeles toad additional scientific importance.

The fossil record at La Brea has traditionally been associated with large Ice Age mammals, but the new finding shows that the site also preserves evidence of much smaller animals that were part of the ecosystem.

What the Toad Can Tell Scientists About Ice Age Los Angeles

The discovery could help researchers better understand what Southern California looked like near the end of the last Ice Age.

Because amphibians are closely tied to moisture and local environmental conditions, their presence can help scientists reconstruct ancient habitats. The fossils may provide additional evidence about the climate and ecological changes that affected Los Angeles thousands of years ago.

That makes Spea labreae more than an unusual fossil find. It offers another piece of evidence for reconstructing an ancient Southern California ecosystem.

La Brea Still Has More Secrets to Reveal

The discovery comes at an interesting moment for the La Brea Tar Pits.

The museum is currently undergoing a major transformation that will create the Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research. The project includes expanded research facilities, updated exhibition areas and new approaches to displaying the site’s extensive fossil collections.

The museum closed its main facility in July for the renovation, with plans for the revamped site to reopen in 2028. Outdoor areas and excavation sites remain part of the ongoing La Brea experience during the project.

The timing highlights how much scientific work continues behind the scenes even when visitors cannot see the museum’s full collection.

A Small Toad With a Big Scientific Story

The discovery of Spea labreae offers a different look at the Ice Age history buried beneath modern Los Angeles.

The La Brea Tar Pits are famous for enormous prehistoric predators and giant mammals, but the newly identified toad shows that the site’s scientific story also includes creatures that were easy to overlook.

A fossil that spent decades in a collection has now revealed evidence of a species previously unknown to science.

For researchers, the discovery is another reminder that the fossil record can still surprise us, even in one of America’s most famous paleontological sites.