All articles tagged with #amber
A 100‑million‑year‑old insect preserved in Myanmar amber has been named Carcinonepa libererrantes in homage to the K-pop group Stray Kids, notable for its rare crablike front claws likely used for grasping prey; CT scans helped place it among true bugs, highlighting convergent evolution with crustaceans.
A 100-million-year-old true bug preserved in Myanmar amber reveals front legs ending in crab-like claws, a rare feature found in only a few insect groups. Using micro-CT, researchers assign a new genus and species, Carcinonepa libererrantes, and infer a predatory lifestyle in a Cretaceous forest; the claws illustrate convergent evolution across distant lineages, highlighting the diversity of ancient ecosystems.
A 99-million-year-old firefly fossil trapped in Burmese amber—the oldest confirmed Luciolinae—preserves bioluminescent organs, showing that modern fireflies evolved light production and diversified during the mid-Cretaceous, alongside dinosaurs.
A fragment of amber found in West Antarctica, dating to 92–83 million years ago (mid-Cretaceous), indicates resin-producing trees once grew near the South Pole, suggesting ancient forested landscapes and a warmer climate; it is the first confirmed amber discovery in Antarctica and provides a direct glimpse into past ecosystems.
Scientists describe Balticolasma wunderlichi, a new ortholasmatine harvestman from 35-million-year-old Baltic and Rovno ambers, marking the first fossil members of this subfamily and showing that these arachnids were once widespread across Europe during a warmer Eocene.
A 3.5-kilogram piece of rare rumanite amber found near a Romanian stream, once used as a doorstop, was authenticated as one of the world’s largest intact amber specimens and valued at about €1 million, now classified as a national treasure and housed at the Buzău Provincial Museum.
Six Cretaceous amber specimens show ants living close to mites, wasps, and spiders, suggesting ancient ecological interactions and possible mutualistic or parasitic relationships, with future micro-CT analysis to clarify how these organisms interacted.
Researchers studied two amber pieces from the Goethe National Museum containing a fungus gnat, a black fly, and an extinct ant, †Ctenobethylus goepperti. Using advanced 3D imaging, they reconstructed the ant’s morphology and interior anatomy, revealing fine body hairs and enabling detailed comparisons with living Liometopum ants to infer possible canopy-nesting behavior. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, provide a clearer picture of how this ancient species lived.
Scientists discovered 99-million-year-old amber fossils of an ant and fly infected by parasitic fungi, providing evidence that such fungi, similar to modern zombie-ant fungi, existed during the Cretaceous period and played a significant role in prehistoric ecosystems.
Scientists discovered a 100-million-year-old fossil of a spider in Myanmar amber that had a tail, revealing that ancient spider ancestors possessed tails, a trait previously only hypothesized. The fossil, named Chimerarachne yingi, shows a blend of ancient and modern features, including spinnerets and a tail similar to early arachnids, suggesting web-building evolved later. The discovery provides new insights into spider evolution and raises the possibility that similar species might still exist in unexplored rainforests.
Scientists discovered 112-million-year-old amber in Ecuador containing well-preserved insects and plant fossils, offering new insights into the prehistoric ecosystems of Gondwana and filling a significant gap in Southern Hemisphere paleontology.
Scientists discovered 112-million-year-old insects and plant material preserved in amber from Ecuador, providing valuable insights into Gondwana's Cretaceous ecosystem and the biodiversity of the southern Hemisphere during that period.
Scientists have discovered 112-million-year-old amber samples from Ecuador that contain well-preserved 3D snapshots of ancient insects, including beetles, flies, and spiders, providing valuable insights into prehistoric life and the early relationship between flowers and pollinating insects. These bio-inclusions are rare and help scientists understand the biodiversity of the Gondwana supercontinent era.
Researchers discovered 112-million-year-old amber in Ecuador containing well-preserved fossils of insects and plant remains, providing valuable insights into a Cretaceous ecosystem in South America during the age of dinosaurs, including details about insect diversity and plant transition from gymnosperms to angiosperms.
Scientists discovered South America's first large amber deposit in Ecuador, containing well-preserved insects and plant remains from over 100 million years ago, providing new insights into ancient ecosystems and rainforest environments during the Cretaceous period.