Palaeontology

Prehistoric insect found trapped in amber

By T.K. Randall
May 3, 2015 ·  15 comments

Insects can be found preserved in amber on rare occasions. Image Credit: PD - Sebakoamber The movie 'Jurassic Park' explored the idea of obtaining the DNA of a dinosaur by extracting it from a blood-sucking insect trapped in amber, a feat that then enabled scientists to clone the creatures for exhibition in a safari park that didn't go quite according to plan.

While there's no dinosaur DNA to be had in this latest specimen it has nonetheless provided scientists with the unique opportunity to examine in intricate detail the remains of a prehistoric insect that was quite unlike any that are alive today.Resembling something similar to a praying mantis, the 100 million-year-old cockroach appeared to have been a nocturnal predator that hunted down and preyed upon other insects.

"The unique adaptations such as strongly elongated extremities and freely movable head on a long neck suggest that these animals were pursuit predators," wrote researchers Peter Vršanský and Günter Bechly in a new paper describing the discovery which can be found - here.

This 100 million-year-old creepy crawler was found perfectly preserved in amber http://t.co/WN01QgTic8 pic.twitter.com/9KEGzziCHC

— New York Post (@nypost) May 1, 2015

Source: New York Post | Comments (15)

Tags: Amber, Insect