Insects
Scientists uncover 112-million-year-old amber with insects in Ecuador
Reported by AI
Researchers have discovered South America's first amber deposits preserving ancient insects in an Ecuadorian quarry. The 112-million-year-old find from the Hollín Formation offers insights into a prehistoric forest on the supercontinent Gondwana. This rare glimpse reveals a diverse ecosystem from the Cretaceous period.
Jurassic midge fossil challenges insect evolution theories
Reported by AI
An international team of researchers has discovered a 151-million-year-old fossil of a non-biting midge in Australia, the oldest known from the Southern Hemisphere. This find, named Telmatomyia talbragarica, reveals freshwater adaptations previously linked only to marine species, suggesting the Chironomidae family originated in Gondwana. The discovery reshapes understanding of ancient insect biogeography.