270-million-year-old frog fossil resembling Kermit discovered!

The fossil found in Texas draws attention with its resemblance to the Muppet Show's famous frog.

According to a report in Chip, an amphibian species dating back 270 million years has been named "Kermitops gratus" due to its resemblance to the iconic Muppet Show frog, Kermit. This name is intended by scientists as a nod to both the species' cute appearance and its contribution to the evolution of amphibians.

The fossilized skull, found in 270-million-year-old rocks in northern Texas, had been stored at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History since 1984. Examinations conducted by George Washington University doctoral student Calvin So revealed that the fossil belongs to a previously unknown species.

So argues that he chose Kermit for the species' name, viewing it as an important step in introducing science to the public. He hopes that since Kermit is a symbol of modern-day amphibians, the name will help attract public interest.

The "ops" suffix in the genus name means "face" in Greek, referring to the wide-eyed skull of the Kermitops. Aside from the 3-centimeter-long skull, there is not much information available about the rest of the creature's body.

Although Kermitops shows similarities to other amphibians of that period, it also possesses some unique features. This makes it resemble a salamander more than a frog, suggesting it could be an ancestor to both.

The fact that amphibians are not very conducive to fossilization makes it difficult to obtain information about their ancestors. The discovery of Kermitops is quite significant in this regard and is expected to provide new information about the evolution of amphibians.

The scientific article is published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.