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Amphibian declines are seen as an indicator of the onset of a sixth mass extinction of life on earth. Because of a combination of factors such as habitat destruction, emerging pathogens and pollutants, over 156 amphibian species have not been seen for several decades, and 34 of these were listed as extinct by 2004. Here we report the rediscovery of the Hula painted frog, the first amphibian to have been declared extinct. We provide evidence that not only has this species survived undetected in its type locality for almost 60 years but also that it is a surviving member of an otherwise extinct genus of alytid frogs, Latonia, known only as fossils from Oligocene to Pleistocene in Europe. The survival of this living fossil is a striking example of resilience to severe habitat degradation during the past century by an amphibian.

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This study deals with the herpetofaunal fossil and subfossil remains from the Cadet 2 site (Marie-Galante, Guadeloupean Archipelago). This study provides new data concerning the herpetofaunal community since the Late Pleistocene by revealing the early local occurrence of some taxa (Eleutherodactylus sp., cf. Sphaerodactylus sp., Ameiva sp., cf. Capitellum mariagalantae, Anolis cf. ferreus, cf. Antillotyphlops sp., cf. Alsophis sp. and Colubroidea sp. 1) and possible Pleistocene extinctions (Boa sp. and Colubroidea sp. 2). Moreover, the first metric data for fossil Marie-Galante anoles show clear size stability throughout time. As regards the evolution of the island herpetofaunal biodiversity, our work points to the long-term stability of the fauna before human colonization and subsequently to the marked impact of human-caused environmental disturbances during colonial but also Pre-Columbian periods.

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