The fossil's bug-eyed appearance reminded researchers of the famous Muppet
Researchers hold the fossil alongside its famous cousin.
A 270-million-year-old fossil that sheds light on the murky origins of amphibians has been named after Kermit - the world's most famous frog.
The researchers said the fossil was part of a group of relatives of amphibians that lived for more than 200 million years, but was totally unique.
Unique features like these led scientists to conclude that it belonged to a new species.
The prehistoric fossil had spent decades in the Smithsonian's National Fossil Collection waiting for a scientist to take a closer look at it.
Kermitops gratus is a fossil of enormous significance, the scientists say.
The early fossil record of amphibians and their ancestors is largely fragmentary which makes it hard to figure out how frogs, salamanders and their kin evolved.
Discovering new species like Kermitops is essential for fleshing out the early branches of the amphibian family tree, the researchers said.
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