Learn about the amazing history of a 40-million-year-old fungus gnat fossil from Baltic amber and how it yields new finds on the diversity and evolution of this uncommon insect genus.
A Discovery on the North Sea Ministrand
The mysterious lump gives an insight into prehistoric life on Mars (Image: NERC)A fossilised chunk of Martian meteorite found on a remote Scottish island is shedding new light on the possibility of life existing on other planets. Somewhere between the waves and the shore he found a small piece of Baltic amber that would later be proven to have significant scientific value.
But hidden within was an unprecedented discovery: a 50-million-year-old fossil of a previously unknown species of fungus gnat. Hidden in the extensive collection of amber at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, it lay like that for decades, waiting to be rediscovered and examined.
Cracking the prehistoric gnat code
A group of researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Łódź in Poland has now revisited this unique amber-encased fossil. With the help of advanced technology, it uncovered surprising new details about the structure of the gnat and found that it belong to an unknown species (Robsonomyia henningseni) which they named after that amber collector who originally collected.
According to themthis fossil revealed that the researchers have uncovered the only previously known predatory fungus gnat of the rare genus Robsonomyia. The living species of this genus are only found in Hokkaido, Japan, and California, USA today, hence the distribution gap. Europe: Missing Link Discovery in Ancient Gnat Fossil Illuminates How These Unusual Insects Migrated Throughout Time.
Conclusion
ConclusionThe find of 40-million-year old fungus gnat inclusions in Baltic amber let us to revise our beliefs about the distribution and evolution on this uncommon insect genus. By linking the living species in Japan and North America, the fossil helps to connect past climates and ecosystems that were able to maintain these incredible animals. This discovery underscores the biodiversity in Europe’s past and how valuable amber is for studying the distant past.
