Vieraella

Vieraella is an extinct genus of frog from the Lower Jurassic (Early Pliensbachian to Toarcian) Roca Blanca Formation of Argentina, and one of the oldest true frogs known. This genus is known by a single excepcionally well preserved specimen, P.V.L. 2188, with at least eight presacrals vertebrae, free ribs, ulna and radius not fused, bony skull with some discoglossid characters.^[3]

Vieraella Temporal range: Early Pliensbachian to Toarcian ~189–176 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N [1]
Restoration
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Vieraellidae
Genus:	Vieraella
Species:	Vieraella herbsti Reig, 1961 [2]

Description

Despite living around 188 million years ago, Vieraella was anatomically very similar to modern frogs. For example, its hind legs were adapted for jumping, and the skull already possessed the lattice-like form found in modern species. It was, however, an unusually small frog, measuring only 3 centimetres (1.2 in) in length. Although older frog-like creatures are known, such as Triadobatrachus, these possessed many primitive characteristics, and cannot be said to be "true" frogs.^[4]

References

1. Navarrete, C.; Gianni, G.; Christiansen, R.; Kamerbeek, Y.; Periale, S.; Folguera, A. (2019). "Jurassic intraplate contraction of southern Patagonia: the El Tranquilo anticline area, Deseado Massif". Journal of South American Earth Sciences. 94 (3): 102–224. Bibcode:2019JSAES..9402224N. doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2019.102224. S2CID 197571957. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
2. Reig, O. A. (1961). "Noticia sobre un nuevo anuro fósil del Jurásico de Santa Cruz (Patagonia)". Ameghiniana. 2 (5): 73–78. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
3. Casamiquela, R. (1965). "Nuevo material de Vieraella HerbstII ReIg. Reinterpretación de la ranita liasica de la Patagonia y consideraciones sobre filogenia y sistemática de los anuros". Revista del Museo de La Plata. 4 (27): 265–317. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
4. Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 56. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.

Further reading

• Estes, R., and O. A. Reig. 1973. The early fossil record of frogs: a review of the evidence. pp. 11–63 In J. L. Vial (Ed.), Evolutionary Biology of the Anurans: Contemporary Research on Major Problems. University of Missouri Press, Columbia.