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The Burmese amber thread

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


    Seeing as the news of creatures found preserved in 99 million year old Burmese amber are becoming more and more frequent, I thought instead of posting them separately it would be cool to create a thread exclusively for these discoveries.

    Because all of these little creatures lived at the same time in the same place, it should give us a very interesting glimpse of what was scurrying around in this particular Cretaceous forest.

    Chances are high that eventually, a small dinosaur or pterosaur will be found at this site, so keep an eye on this one!

    Aethiocarenus, possible nymph of a mantis-like insect:

    250px-Aethiocarenus_burmanicus.jpg

    Apternoperissus, a flightless wasp adapted for jumping and armed with a venomous stinger:

    1200px-Aprenoperissus_burmanicus.jpg

    Astreptolabis, an earwig:

    ZooKeys-130-137-g001_Astreptolabis_ethirosomatia.jpg

    Burmaleon, a neuropteran (related to lacewings, antlions)

    1-s2.0-S0195667115301087-gr6.jpg

    Burmapogon, an assassin fly:

    mosca-asesina.png

    Burmesarchea, an assassin spider (fed on other spiders):

    burmite-amber-assassin-spider.jpg

    Ceratomyrmex, a probably solitary, predatory ant:

    1200px-Ceratomyrmex_ellenbergeri_NIGP164022_profile.jpg


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


    Camelomecia, a primitive ant:

    camelomecia-b59285de-6215-4a3a-86da-31f041b51b8-resize-750.jpg

    Caputoraptor, a member of a now extinct order of insects, Alienoptera:

    Caputoraptor%2Belegans.png

    newsimage?id=297150&size=screen

    Cascoplecia, a fly:

    220px-Cascoplecia_fossil_in_Burmese_amber.jpg

    Chimerarachne, a tailed spider:

    chimerarachne-yingi_0.jpg

    Ektatotricha, an ant-like beetle:

    56c1b371716e2.jpg

    Electrorana, a frog:

    fotonoticia_20180614165547_640.jpg

    Electrorana_limoae-novataxa_2018-Xing_Stanley_Bai_et_Blackburn-ii.jpg

    Gerontoformica, a primitive ant:

    1200px-Gerontoformica_cretacica_MNHNA30088_ventral_profile_whole.jpg

    Plos_One_e93627_Fig_2_Gerontoformica_gracilis_A.png


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


    Haidomyrmex, a predatory ant with crazy mandibles:

    1200px-Haidomyrmex_zigrasi_JZ01_01.jpg

    Melittosphex, one of the oldest known bees:

    1161785629_0.jpg

    Enanthiornithine chick:

    01_bird_in_amber.adapt.1190.1.jpg?auto=compress,format&w=1024&h=560&fit=crop

    enantiornithine-bird-amber-burma-4.jpg

    Reconstruction-of-bird-as-positioned-in-amber.jpg


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


    Xiaophis, a snake:

    image_6219_2e-Xiaophis-myanmarensis.jpg

    Mushrooms:

    99myroldmushrooms.jpg?w968

    Mushroom-eating beetles:

    oldbeetles.jpg?w600

    Feathered tail of a small coelurosaurian dinosaur:

    tail_breaching_surface_with_ant2_black_background.0.jpeg

    11-2.jpg

    X-Ray of the tail:

    an-x-ray-of-a-piece-of-amber-containing-a-tiny-segment-of-di.jpeg?quality=80&strip=all&w=840&h=630&crop=1

    Tick found along with dinosaur feather:

    image.jpg

    Cretotrichopsenius, a termitophilous insect (lived in termite nests):

    W020170410513291848639.jpg

    Archaeomalthodes, a soldier beetle:

    archaeomalthodes-rosetta.jpg?w=878&ssl=1

    Cretoparacucujus, a pollinating beetle (would've polinated cycads):

    p2rzlo9n4aqtasbv9was.jpg


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


    Diverse lizards:

    968430_1_0304-lizards-amber_standard.png?alias=standard_900x600nc

    Two different Gerontoformica species apparently locked in battle:

    aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA4MS80MzEvb3JpZ2luYWwvYW5jaWVudC1pbnNlY3QtYmF0dGxlLTEtYW50LXRlcm1pdGUuanBnPzE0NTU3MjUwNzQ=

    Krishnatermes, a termite:

    aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA4MS80Mjkvb3JpZ2luYWwvYW5jaWVudC1pbnNlY3QtYmF0dGxlLTMtd2Fycmlvci10ZXJtaXRlLmpwZz8xNDU1NzI0OTQ3

    Reconstructions of Gigantotermes rex soldier (left) and Krishnatermes alate, worker and soldier:

    aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA4MS80Mjgvb3JpZ2luYWwvYW5jaWVudC1pbnNlY3QtYmF0dGxlLTQtbmV3LXRlcm1pdGVzLmpwZz8xNDU1NzI0ODcz

    Camelomecia ant queen:

    MTQ1NTcyNjQ4NQ==

    Diminutive bird wing:

    rose-big-wing-article.jpg


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


    Chrysopoid larvae with camouflage:

    20160628-CAS-insect-fossil-2.jpg

    20160628-CAS-insect-fossil-31r035drli6iw54dk7yjuo.jpg

    Linguamyrmex, the so called "vampire ant", and beetle larva:

    image_5219_3-Linguamyrmex-vladi.jpg

    Detail of Linguamyrmex' head:

    linguamyrmex-vladi-head.jpg

    Flowers:

    amber-flowers.jpg

    Kekveus jason, a diminutive featherwing beetle, as small as the period at the end of this sentence.

    1-s2.0-S0195667118300648-fx1.jpg

    Electroblemma, a spider:

    amber-spider.jpg

    Pseudoperla (stick insect nymphs):

    Pseudoperla-leptoclada-sp-nov-Holotype-BU-001003-A-Ventral-view-as-preserved-scale.ppm

    Pseudoperla-scapiforma-sp-nov-Holotype-CNU-PHA-MA2016001-A-Dorsal-view-as-preserved.ppm

    Diverse antlion larvae:

    39876161_2091897834153719_6002794306052554752_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=e4ccd625e5fa2684cc1d248a84e52fea&oe=5BF4AB4C

    Allostrophus, a beetle:

    39777171_2090636307613205_6094600756717944832_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=7766ecf0c16e9c62330cc70cf5055318&oe=5C37F835


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


    Burmacader, a true bug (Hemipteran):

    38742227_2066402833369886_2559596931261136896_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=9dfa213ad49084ae1fe609fd01c0b02d&oe=5C38CFDD

    Nodosigalea, a cockroach:

    38119655_2053833054626864_7712876354324135936_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=cb123239481b3c4faa89277241b39e02&oe=5C368A8A

    Another specimen (a female) of the bizarre leaping, flightless wasp Aptenoperissus:

    37968329_2050754528268050_2484250667879759872_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=fe530aff2967685ff302ee10d8d68c93&oe=5C0194D5

    38006916_2050754868268016_7506707775108415488_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=fd5fd2535bce622b47caea474ca789f9&oe=5C0838C8

    Lapisperla, a stonefly:

    37875454_2044231595587010_4969212517919227904_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=b9273b20cc37e3cea0c0d07ae52b4dbb&oe=5BF4D834

    Primitive beetle:

    37689293_2040262392650597_572802144541868032_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=bcf028870675224f6fd812d0f24f4c60&oe=5C362AA9

    Dacochile, a fly:

    36725195_2012221215454715_3903590501391007744_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=57226a97218925bbd19c8cc98e4581af&oe=5BEE6DDD

    Molliberus, a soldier beetle:

    36803909_2012217645455072_9126959336843640832_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=e3382e5f65ff2daeec7628b6cda5b5e7&oe=5C0534EF

    Burmusculus, a pompiloid wasp:

    36721671_2012208415455995_2599695351526981632_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=3e7d6407e72b4c2f0988f4ccf7104ff6&oe=5BF740A0

    Burmantis, a praying mantis:

    36459784_2002915949718575_1639211737813090304_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=7c29599b278e1b08e34074553344dc77&oe=5C02F44C

    Chilamnestocoris, a burrower bug (Hemipteran):

    36241846_1995902607086576_8735202665262219264_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=0529b0a49ecc607aa4ed380ef52f74ab&oe=5BF831BD


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


    Hirtidiplatys, an earwig:

    36189122_1992972994046204_8458784505736462336_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=c32d184dae2a2ba3f9d77795391b356b&oe=5C03D902

    Haploberotha, a neuropteran (lacewings):

    35927108_1988393951170775_8568968060604514304_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=77146726c4bd43d8f27d2171fe0316a1&oe=5C05C85A

    Euthema, a land snail:

    33028612_1949682828375221_6072043747393142784_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=dce482a40411058ef6eaa73f6080ac9f&oe=5BFEE79F

    Multispinus multispinosus, a beetle:

    33073618_1948958178447686_7996332650988044288_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=037b1b95f771406e3bd240a8792a90db&oe=5BF8919F

    Tumefactipes, a stick insect:

    32308870_1938452299498274_5028256975230599168_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=10eab293244639c14fb8ef8671426181&oe=5C06CE6E

    Glaresis murmitica, a beetle:

    32253613_1936435846366586_592982757051727872_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=ea06359e9bad937a0fa806bf06bfb120&oe=5C0A1AF2

    Zorotypus, an "angel insect":

    31959580_1936404846369686_3034381526901981184_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=0a6b57e015460d9b1a05c1eec9bb1065&oe=5BF38F85

    Phyllochrysa, a lacewing (larval form):

    31388879_1922988224378015_8591861056630947840_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=05dfe6717403cca4c7227d46c6251817&oe=5BF50BC1

    Tick wrapped up in spider silk:

    31301741_1922623271081177_7521162929924734976_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=c2b8d4d062db394baa30205deb47eaf5&oe=5BFB4032

    Bittacus, a "hangingfly"

    29694836_1895731627103675_3073434202993486950_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=9aea8fcd6130c0e00c054e23dd9700c4&oe=5C337323


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


    Another bird (most likely an enantiornithine, although without the full skull is hard to be sure):

    02-bird-trapped-amber-photo.adapt.1190.1.jpg

    05-bird-trapped-amber-photo.adapt.768.1.jpg

    Yijenplatycnemis huangi
    , a damselfly, has been suggested to have performed a mating dance aided by those extravagant ornaments:

    srep44932-f1.jpg

    life reconstruction:

    srep44932-f5.jpg

    Cascomastigus, a predatory beetle apparently specialized for catching springtails with its antennae:

    41598_2017_187_Fig1_HTML.jpg

    Cockroach:

    14937408_1343650335645143_5988012780578992069_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=bcfc2b30f8f2a176e4965ce9756ad8dc&oe=5BF1001D

    Pedanoptera arachnophila, a predatory neuropteran. Apparently the larva was adapted as a spider predator (with long legs to walk on the web without getting suck)

    gr1.jpg

    gr2.jpg

    Bird wing:

    01burmaamberwing.adapt.1190.1.jpg


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


    Cushingia, a camel spider (solpugid)

    Cushingia-ellenbergeri-gen-et-sp-nov-the-fi-rst-camel-spider-Arachnida-Solifugae.png

    Manipulator modificaputis, a predatory cockroach:

    WS275J-1360x906-product_popup.JPG

    Bloodsucking fly (probably fed on dinosaur blood!):

    10401375_946146682062179_6053433346383197522_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=1e8c26c4b15cedc76327972617d3e68f&oe=5C02F1C7

    Bird feathers:

    10387484_877551292255052_1519284605036285130_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=a17e5f396efff18df250e519da0a27f5&oe=5C397D4D

    A leaf that had been chewed on by insects:

    10616438_874705759206272_8165980933749974063_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=2f25a5d6f07785e49d8c277a11d4712a&oe=5C001051

    Neuropteran larva:

    1888687_864746763535505_8593726819376372309_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=7de04bd5ea0198964d99ee65643b5fbf&oe=5BFF6413


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


    Incredible. Love the dinosaur feathers.

    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


    Incredible indeed! I am fascinated by this fossil site, if you couldn´t tell. :B Have high hopes for it, too.

    Here's some more:

    Burcobuchonomyia, a midge:

    g20102026.jpg?width=700&height=575.5395683453238

    Tarachopteran:

    g20102036.jpg?width=700&height=679.6946564885496

    Archiculicoides, another, biting midge:

    g_2010_20_24-1500px.jpg?width=655.0218340611353&height=700

    Palerasnitsynus, a caddisfly:

    g_2010_20_35-1500px.jpg?width=700&height=521.2666666666667

    Myanmariscus, a woodloose:

    g_2010_20_43-1500px.jpg?width=465.83850931677017&height=700

    Tropidogyne (the flower) and a small flea-like insect:

    SU16-MW-Figure-3_203677-636x393.jpg

    Spider:

    SU16-MW-Figure-4_203676-636x393.jpg

    Fly:

    SU16-MW-Figure-5-Comp_203674-1000x309.jpg

    Scorpion:

    burmesescorpio.png


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


    Newly discovered auger beetle:

    40169449_2100339693309533_5216542092309823488_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=35e358da31736d4baf156310eaceaec4&oe=5C30115F


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


    On kalligrammatids from Burmese amber (these were lacewing relatives that filled a butterfly-like niche during the Mesozoic)

    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-06120-5

    41467_2018_6120_Fig1_HTML.png

    41467_2018_6120_Fig2_HTML.png


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,477 ✭✭✭Kamili


    These are absolutely fascinating! thanks so much for sharing


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




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


    wow I am impressed


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




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


    Apparently the mysterious "Alienopterids" found in Burmese amber are cockroaches that mimicked ants and wasps for protection:

    45573573_2197954890214679_4478309111879958528_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent.fgdl5-1.fna&oh=827b73b1629f1d6592b4ad959660baf7&oe=5C3D9745

    Batesian insect-insect mimicry-related explosive radiation of ancient alienopterid cockroaches

    Peter Vršanský & Günter Bechly & Qingqing Zhang & Edmund A. Jarzembowski & Tomáš Mlynský & Lucia Šmídová & Peter Barna & Matúš Kúdela & Danil Aristov & Sonia Bigalk & Lars Krogmann & Liqin Li &
    Qi Zhang & Haichun Zhang & Sieghard Ellenberger & Patrick Müller & Carsten Gröhn & Fangyuan Xia & Kyoichiro Ueda & Peter Vďačný & Daniel Valaška & Lucia Vršanská & Bo Wang

    Batesian #mimicry is a relationship in which a harmful organism (the model) is mimicked by a harmless organism (the mimic), which gains protection because predators mistake it for the model. It is the most widely studied of mimicry complexes and has undoubtedly played an important role in the speciation of various animals especially insects. However, little is known about the early evolution of this important behavior and its evolutionary significance owing to a dearth of paleontological records. Here we report several specialized representatives of the family #Alienopteridae from the Early Cretaceous of Brazil, mid-Cretaceous #Burmite, and the Eocene of the USA. They exhibit unique morphological adaptations for wasp and ant mimicry and represent one of the oldest evidence of Batesian mimicry in the insect fossil record. Our findings reveal at least 65-million-year coevolution between extinct alienopterids and aculeates. Phylogenetic Bayesian network analysis houses Alienopteridae within #Umenocoleidae explosively radiating ~127 Ma. Alienopteridae is the only Mesozoic-type #cockroach family which passed K/Pg.

    Evolutionary implications

    Batesian mimicry is widespread in modern insects (Quicke
    2017; but not in cockroaches – Vidlička 2001). Aculeates,
    including bees and ants, are the most frequently mimicked
    models for Batesian mimicry (Ruxton et al. 2004). A wasp
    mimic Cratomyia mimetica (Zhangsolvidae) is already known (Grimaldi 2016). A case of mimicry in #Burmese #amber is cerambyid Ornatomalthinus interpreted as a putative Batesian mimic of a venomous lycid beetle model proposed by Poinar and Fanti (2016). The new alienopterid adults mimic ancient aculeate wasps, bees and ants respectively. Like other stem-group cockroaches, these new alienopterids had small mandibles, lacked raptorial forelegs and were phytophagous or omnivorous. They would have gained protection by mimicking aculeates. The fossil record of Batesian mimicry in insects is very sparse, and the additional record was from the Paleocene, involving mimicry by a heteropteran based on an aculeate model (Wappler et al. 2013). Our discovery provides the earliest record of Batesian mimicry in insects, extending its occurrence back to the Early Cretaceous.


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


    Barlochersaurus, a diminutive, extremely well preserved, short-limbed lizard from Burmese amber:

    https://mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/specimen_images/publications/Breviora_563.pdf


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




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


    fascinating stuff there Adam


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


    This one is from Java, not Burma, but still amazing because of the rarity of its preservation within opal, rather than amber. Apparently, it hasn´t been formally studied yet, but it may be that the amber became opal over time.

    fossilized-insect-in-opal.jpg?w=1000&ssl=1

    fossilized-insect-in-opal-2.jpg?w=1000&ssl=1


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,477 ✭✭✭Kamili


    Opal is my favourite stone, that's absolutely awesome, I didn't think that could happen


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,670 ✭✭✭monty_python


    It's Myanmar. Not Burma


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


    Oh FFS.

    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


    Wibbs wrote: »
    Oh FFS.

    Well at least we're getting comments. :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,670 ✭✭✭monty_python


    Wibbs wrote: »
    Oh FFS.

    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??


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,477 ✭✭✭Kamili


    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??

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar
    Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and also known as Burma


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,670 ✭✭✭monty_python


    Kamili wrote: »

    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


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