Vieraella

Vieraella is an ancient group of frogs that lived a very long time ago during the early part of the Jurassic period. Scientists found fossils of Vieraella in Argentina, and these fossils are very important because they show us what early frogs were like. The most famous fossil, called P.V.L. 2188, is extremely well preserved and helps scientists learn about how these frogs looked and lived.

One of the interesting things about Vieraella is that it is one of the oldest known true frogs. This means it lived millions of years ago and is close to the time when frogs first appeared on Earth. By studying this fossil, scientists can understand how frogs evolved and changed over time.

The fossil of Vieraella shows many details, such as its bones and skull, which help experts compare it to other ancient frogs. Even though it lived so long ago, Vieraella had features that are similar to frogs we see today, which tells us that some parts of frog bodies have stayed the same for millions of years. This helps us see how life on Earth has changed—and stayed the same—over a very long time.

Description

Vieraella lived around 188 million years ago and was very similar to frogs we see today. For example, its hind legs were made for jumping, and its skull had a special lattice-like shape like modern frogs. It was a tiny frog, measuring just 3 centimetres (1.2 inches) long. While there are older frog-like creatures, such as Triadobatrachus, they had many primitive features and are not considered "true" frogs.