La Brea Tar Pits Uncover Extinct Ice-Age Toad Spea labreae

Scientists at Los Angeles’ La Brea Tar Pits report the first extinct ice-age amphibian found in the area: the spadefoot toad Spea labreae. Two tiny sacro-urostyle fragments from 1929 were re-examined in 2023, revealing distinct features that identify a previously unknown species. The fossils likely date to within the last 60,000 years, making Spea labreae only the second extinct ice-age amphibian known from North America; the collection also included the living Mexican burrowing toad, offering climate context for past and present amphibians.