Paleontologists sifting through the archives of Los Angeles’ La Brea Tar Pits have discovered a new species of extinct Ice Age amphibian. This material is originally from the 1950s, but when you study it again, you can find gold in these specimens,” Cruz said. Courtesy of La Brea Tar Pits. Courtesy of La Brea Tar Pits. Amphibians past, present, and futureTo identify the new species, Cruz carefully examined the bones inside the La Brea Tar Pits amphibians collection for the first time in almost 30 years.