Toadally new Ice Age species discovered in Los Angeles pit

Animals from the Ice Age are thought to have become extinct between three to six thousand years ago - but now researchers have discovered a new toad species from that time.

The new amphibian was identified at La Brea Tar Pits - a paleontological research site in Los Angeles in the US.

They've named the species of spadefoot toad, Spea labrea.

Dr Alberto Cruz, who is in charge of the study, says they weren't even looking for new species when they made the discovery!

The La Brea Tar Pits became famous after much larger fossils of creatures, like giant mammoths and sabre-toothed tigers, were found there.

According to a study, this is the first extinct amphibian found in Los Angeles and only the second Ice Age amphibian species discovered in North America.

Dr Alberto Cruz was looking back at collections of amphibians and reptiles, when he came across the new species, but he initially thought it was a modern spadefoot toad which had been sick or injured.

He said: "This material is originally from the 1950s, but when you study it again, you can find gold in these specimens. It's very cool."

Scientists say small reptiles and amphibians can tell us more about the ancient climate and environment than large mammals.

This is because they don't travel as far and are more sensitive to environmental conditions, meaning they can help scientists identify climate changes on a smaller scale.

Dr Alberto Cruz said: "If you change the environment, you change the vegetation, the climate is warmer or colder, it affects these animals directly."

Researchers say that amphibians rarely make it into fossil records because of their fragile skeletons - apart from sites like the Tar Pits.

While identifying the Spea labrea, Dr Cruz examined the bones of Tar Pits amphibians which hadn't been carefully looked at in nearly 30 years.