Liaobatrachus (meaning "Liaoning frog") is a genus of prehistoric frog, the first fossil specimen of which was recovered from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province, China. It was the first Mesozoic era frog ever found in China.[1] The species Callobatrachus sanyanensis, Mesophryne beipiaoensis and Yizhoubatrachus macilentus were classified as species of Liaobatrachus in one study, but this has been rejected by other authors. The genus has been considered a nomen dubium by some authors due to the poor preservation of the holotype specimen.[2] Fossils were found in the Sihetun locality of the western part of Liaoning province, in the lower part of the Yixian Formation, and date to approximately 124.6 Ma. Another specimen was collected near Heitizigou, 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of Beipiao. The specimen has a snout–vent length of 69 millimetres (2.7 in).[3] Liaobatrachus is considered to be the most basal member of Discoglossidae based on phylogenetic analysis.[4]
