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The Burmese amber thread

2

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 687 ✭✭✭Zadkiel


    Why ffs?? The country you are referring to is called Myanmar. Your using the wrong name. You don't like to have your mistakes pointed out do you??


    The irony :D


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,014 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    I've been there 3 times. It's called Myanmar. The people never refer to the county as Burma. Neighboring countries called it Myanmar, never burma
    I've been to Germany a few times and I wouldn't call it Deutschland here.
    You don't like to have your mistakes pointed out do you??
    They happen so rarely I consider it an amusing novelty when they do.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Why ffs?? The country you are referring to is called Myanmar. Your using the wrong name. You don't like to have your mistakes pointed out do you??

    I am the one who used Burma. If it were a mistake, it would be mine, not Wibbs'.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    New family of cicadomorph hemipterans from Cretaceous Burma. :pac:

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667118304476?via%3Dihub

    50728552_2308602879149879_5706984193091698688_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=037f4acde6c5ec40e7b7ff3862287e3b&oe=5CC32868


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    This Burmese amber millipede proves the Siphonophorida (a millipede group with modified mouthparts) have changed little in 100 million years, and that they appeared much earlier than thought:

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667118304087?via%3Dihub

    50261738_2304266426250191_2508591458726969344_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=7f68db08af6caa97517df382052d5dc0&oe=5CBF306B


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  • Registered Users Posts: 8,551 ✭✭✭Rubecula


    Adam Khor wrote: »
    New family of cicadomorph hemipterans from Cretaceous Burma. :pac:

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667118304476?via%3Dihub

    50728552_2308602879149879_5706984193091698688_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=037f4acde6c5ec40e7b7ff3862287e3b&oe=5CC32868

    A looks like a Dr Who warrior


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    So it's not a pterosaur, it's not a non-avian dinosaur, but it's still impressive!

    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-37427-4?fbclid=IwAR2wGlFF4rAe2OlWpz4WSIoGIEd6EDguX-iRI1ppQ-SqFvNlILeTh1dz0Sc

    41598_2018_37427_Fig1_HTML.png

    41598_2018_37427_Fig2_HTML.png


  • Registered Users Posts: 16,303 ✭✭✭✭banie01


    My 1st time encountering the wonders of Burmese amber!
    I am astounded by the variety of creatures found to date!
    Thanks for linking these pics.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Whirligig beetle larva:

    52779843_2355373661139467_6010515454659919872_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=805c1967cf381012afd43c6fbde15817&oe=5D194A83

    Horaielline fly:

    52556954_2344628372213996_6535419333642813440_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=8661a88bd24967bec8dc4e15022459ee&oe=5D13F9BE

    Froghopper:

    52358961_2344190505591116_2866066092193742848_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=a293e7d645b8bc307e1b9d74f691d668&oe=5D150923

    Cretolia cornutus beetle:

    51703077_2333591866650980_4389466420577042432_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=d93b0cc5466feef882e0014611e9b652&oe=5D125E3D

    Caddisfly:

    51431034_2333550899988410_4777536476915171328_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=a28031fbe34123613a0fd1898dbb9578&oe=5D256339


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Dualula, a scorpionfly:

    53251510_2393434444000055_845706097401528320_n.png?_nc_cat=110&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=5cc14354e14a2bf76641c92aa83e4d2d&oe=5D1C22EF

    Reconstruction of the head (male):

    54255910_2393434857333347_8367345781581021184_n.png?_nc_cat=110&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=8f11c837e341fc38f5ef85603677949a&oe=5D1091E9


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  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor




  • Registered Users Posts: 8,551 ✭✭✭Rubecula


    Adam any idea what the largest thing caught in amber is?


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    As far as I know, the largest animal found entirely preserved is this anole lizard found in Dominican amber:

    25anole-jumbo.gif

    28LIZARD-articleLarge.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp

    It is about 15-20 million years old and measures almost 9 cm. So, only large when compared to the very tiny lizards and frogs usually found preserved (even the baby enantiornithe found a while ago was only about 6.3 cm).

    Interestingly, there's remnants of a dewlap so it is believed to have been a male, although probably not fully grown. It was also tiny compared to today's biggest anole lizard, the knight anole which grows up to 55 cm long:

    DSC04493.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,551 ✭✭✭Rubecula


    yes I know about the most famous fossil in amber Adam, I was just a little bit curious on if there was anything bigger.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Well sorry, I didn´t even know it was that famous... :o

    But other than pieces of larger animals I don´t know of any bigger ones. I'm hoping for something spectacular from the Burmese site. Preferably an archosaur...


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,551 ✭✭✭Rubecula


    Adam Khor wrote: »
    Well sorry, I didn´t even know it was that famous... :o

    But other than pieces of larger animals I don´t know of any bigger ones. I'm hoping for something spectacular from the Burmese site. Preferably an archosaur...
    :pac:

    sorry my friend I didn't mean to sound nasty there

    I am waiting to find any Quetzalcoatlus that was trapped in the resin myself rofl :D


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Myrmecophilous beetle Promyrmister and reconstruction:

    57987800_2450351681641664_7427272320609157120_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=9923334ac8338173bcc615a62f94b483&oe=5D3588B1

    58378636_2450351744974991_6456724322915450880_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=e6267800107a3b7b3a79090fe3c8088a&oe=5D370B3A

    Burmaeshnid dragonfly:

    56931792_2431971950146304_2296625124633214976_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=b13ff158e38bbb2153b2b9c971d86b66&oe=5D74A5D9

    56821298_2425723810771118_5773107121579098112_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=ef7ee791a8486535fc25ec21789c474e&oe=5D6BFA31


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Platygastroid hymenopteran:

    57325151_2464764286867070_3983516969436446720_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=c0a70e7229fccc66dbd29f350acd6bd3&oe=5D718F50

    Burmanopetalum, a millipede:

    59613427_2463502580326574_50663910964985856_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=d7a8b31c3e9ede7ebfcb801987fd2ea4&oe=5D6D7315

    59717233_2463502470326585_8535555139186982912_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=85410ff7ac6e131175b4b65c7ba8d7e4&oe=5D359563

    Pseudoneliana, a lacewing:

    58679428_2454913764518789_8775075281917444096_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=325be3292252613e17af3b4b5a60038d&oe=5D292367


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Corethrella, a frog-biting midge. These midges feed on the blood of anurans, which they seemingly find by hearing, when the frogs sing. Frogs have been found in Burmese amber as well so apparently this relationship has not changed in at least 99 million years.

    59877730_2476404815703017_7049315009582596096_n.png?_nc_cat=107&_nc_eui2=AeHBiJ3r0ZDrNtV9O0aWRlHlQevxEnr79zCtqR5GlqYAqZG5cUmdw3oTaETSjXY3c5T7YHtjYbHmU4A2fCeE49lhYtVrGHsShZ03iO_X1-YFMw&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=2289fa0fcb79067f19b60c851ebe483d&oe=5D5AF214


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Incredible, unexpected find! A small ammonite- an exclusively marine creature- found in Burmese amber (along with a mix of other land and sea creatures).

    https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/05/extinct-squid-relative-entombed-amber-100-million-years

    200432-1280x720.jpg?itok=XPGOH8YQ
    To explain this unique amber piece, researchers have conjured up three scenarios. Perhaps resin dripped down from a forest next to a beach, catching first land critters and then seashells. Or a tsunami flooded low-lying trees, washing sea creatures into resin pools. Or, possibly, storm winds simply blew seashells into the forest. Regardless, scientists say, it’s a welcome surprise


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  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    More pictures of the amber-encased ammonite, apparently from genus Puzosia, which confirms the Cretaceous age of the site:

    60274041_2482356805107818_5560464553474523136_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_eui2=AeGjHB58QMYSH8-enaMRS7KrLsFS9OkSrjGB93JUp5LaC8WZVQJ0LkR7ExdsNejmuZBcSd60f9nA15yNbyDtakq43F25L8G0-5GNW5nJJHQw-Q&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=aeac90632fed43ba4baae67ae7389d9c&oe=5D6120B1

    Isopods found along with the ammonite- consistent with a coastal habitat.

    60120862_2482356741774491_5740442057047015424_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_eui2=AeGwz3NlIAouf-ukdR_zqShGw-3L_LSEQ2oyQF1KsSJYxSz2cmxdoXDBfAP2sbADCpZ31PE7LgvTdytxfrYyj6nQATwrHJYduw1dNOiRtQWMDg&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=27c8c6e7ee174d71ec79a162b0cad1d6&oe=5D7639F2

    Snails:

    60334158_2482356755107823_8740252554664869888_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_eui2=AeGpFgejrsyQbU8Ulx04JsLFLZ0oIw_hRyJxDukjqUIUvK-PwLb8IxfZu69023wPhDi_vPcmXDO9aLTdltnv0JPVZ9WATZ2u4SYQrz1N6Tmk7Q&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=76c907252c4f1fb4b6c536fd0c4a4a75&oe=5D72D9DC


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor




  • Registered Users Posts: 8,551 ✭✭✭Rubecula




  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Rubecula wrote: »

    I hope he didn´t hurt himself too badly reading that :B


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Yet another bird found in 99 million year old Burmese amber, this one with a weirdly elongated toe on each foot. It has been called Elektorornis, meaning "amber bird", and the toe may have been used to probe into tree trunk crevices and burrows for grubs and other prey.

    https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2019/07/fossil-bird-in-amber-has-unusually-long-toes/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=facebook::cmp=editorial::add=fb20190712science-birdfossillongtoes::rid=&sf215631178=1&fbclid=IwAR2VOTnyKr5nc1W2qllQliMxahs7LH0NjAl0dM-n-Sd68VH6My9PwDTAJUc

    fotonoticia_20190711182250_500.jpg

    multimediaThumb.png

    Elektorornis_chenguangi-novataxa_2019-Xing%252C_OConnor_Chiappe_McKellar_Carroll_et-al__paleoArt-Zhongda_Zhang.jpg


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Apparently, Jantaropterix ellenbergeri has been found in 99-100 million year amber from tropical/subtropical regions around the world, being the most common of the cockroaches found in Cenomanian amber. It is believed that this may be due to its living mostly on tree trunks for the entirety of its life cycle, as immature specimens have been found in great numbers along with the adults.

    68528654_2645077068835790_4774263729015488512_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_oc=AQl4m-xbeF46y7G3mTh02JPNzoBpyrexaBslCXC44WjXuSILJ_G8l3ZYB_91uk18nwJ5D-20WeVlPNSXrVCTQUlc&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=efa8ec5d17a8546583d88f984399301d&oe=5DEB678F

    67890861_2645077148835782_2677665895760789504_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_oc=AQkvN-m3ILnhpdJn3cv_49JU7aovtC2sfrj2d7ZTY9SuOe7oLfHWnWWWkwAAIORKJFLNFATQmr3LIP3wLJ6E-sp-&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=61f63cf990225d3af7e00644a0f951d6&oe=5DCB9B3C

    67972890_2645077038835793_2373995017690677248_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_oc=AQmNOvytlkv6whyu31ciYqhAXA9SmeT211t1HNTuLPhFAqUU56RfdTfmXn0Nhqzk2WjE2LIGBIYXrfb7Js2A6m7K&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=dc6177bec9e66bd52566914b6e23ef60&oe=5DDF45FC


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    This genus of millipedes still exist today; the fossils prove they have barely changed in 99 million years or so. The Cretaceous species has been named Andrognathus burmiticus.

    https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13127-019-00408-0

    68512140_2650781834931980_5477849203973554176_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_oc=AQnMs5WRoDyNKS6AEW9cBF49inL7wjJoOdb0eoDysAaSGnIseP4bq4UGHIGxGV1eZtJjUh0s3QKDOvEWY1L1WOjn&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=4f741e31d881c88fac67a1f6c621bca1&oe=5DE83B3C
    the studied fossils can be placed in the family Andrognathidae and the extant genus Andrognathus, which nowadays is restricted to the eastern USA and Mexico with three extant species. Therefore, the minimum age of the genus Andrognathus is pushed to the Cenomanian, 99 Ma. It can be assumed that the genus was much more diverse and wider distributed in the past and migrated between Asia and America via one of the once existing land bridges.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    https://zoologicalletters.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40851-018-0116-9
    Adult mantis lacewings, neuropteran holometabolan insects of the group Mantispidae, possess anterior walking legs transformed into prey-catching grasping appendages reminiscent of those of praying mantises. While adult mantis lacewings are hence active “wait-and-catch” predators, the larvae of many mantis lacewings have a quite different biology: first-stage larvae seek out female spiders, mount them, and either wait until the spider has produced
    an egg sac or, in some cases, choose a female already bearing an egg sac. The larva then enters the egg sac and feeds on the eggs. While first stage larvae are highly mobile with comparably long legs and a certain degree of dorso-ventral flattening (“campodeiform”), larval stages two and three are almost immobile, grub-like, and simply remain within the egg sac. Fossils of mantis lacewings are relatively rare, fossils of larval mantis lacewings are even rarer; only a single larva
    sitting on a juvenile spider has been described from ca. 50 million year old Baltic amber.

    67773639_2650775618265935_8922825657298190336_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_oc=AQnz25j9ynxdiIFi9yKrh3zzTqvOTNoNqBVswJm4oxSSFUpX2GCjYR1Z7NPg618GZmESN8rno9ZEPk_yLQJ15ITm&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=a951f420d934f6d85a3832b1d6a4d979&oe=5DE3C433

    67948419_2650775674932596_8970019221803106304_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_oc=AQmDEn75EapT5odMoMXzQErS0h6rNPzRROPtwHYY7JH8Zhf0pUCygHV-2iGjKJ2Z9gUpxQKH9NR89TO_A_iJul_E&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=78923e8c43cebed2733012b8f75553d2&oe=5DD5C396


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Terrible news. :(
    An internationally important amber deposit in northern Myanmar has been taken over by the country’s military and is being looted to line the pockets of the generals, a report from a local non-governmental organisation confirms.

    The amber mines in Kachin State have produced hundreds of scientifically priceless fossils dating from 99 million years ago, including the tail of a feathered dinosaur, several complete birds, lizards, frogs and countless insects and other invertebrates.

    As previously revealed by New Scientist, the fossils are mined in horrendous conditions, smuggled over the border into China and sold in a gem market in Tengchong. Palaeontologists are important buyers and publish dozens of papers every month describing new specimens.

    https://www.newscientist.com/article/2214875-military-now-controls-myanmars-scientifically-important-amber-mines/?fbclid=IwAR22JMmaCU5XBIpXNXJBkubTcO-7hlHBB37fVRLiANy0y1vjjyMwaCPG8i0#.XW5VCTCidSS.facebook

    red_amber_2-1.jpg?width=800


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  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Yet another partial enantiornithe bird found preserved in Burmese amber!

    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-51929-9

    41598_2019_51929_Fig2_HTML.png?as=webp


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