Scientist discovered a new genus and types of micro-wasp with distinct round structures on its antennae from 100-million-year-old Burmese amber. The origin and purpose of these structures remain a secret, without any comparable functions found on any recognized bug. Credit: Photo offered by George Poinar Jr., OSU College of Science.
A Unique Discovery in Amber
Fossil scientists have discovered an unique genus and types of small wasp with a mysterious, bulbous structure at the end of each antenna.
The female micro-wasp was explained from 100-million-year-old Burmese amber in a study led by George Poinar Jr., who holds a courtesy consultation at the Oregon State University College of Science.
Hypothesizing on the Mysterious “Clouds”.
Poinar and Fernando Vega, an independent researcher based in Silver Spring, Maryland, have some concepts about the “clouds” on the antennae, but they dont understand for sure what they are.
Researchers found a brand-new genus and species of micro-wasp with special bulbous structures on its antennae from 100-million-year-old Burmese amber. The origin and function of these structures stay a secret, with no similar functions discovered on any recognized pest. There are thousands of types of these parasitic insects around today, spread among hundreds of genera, Poinar stated. The special, mini cloudlike structures stuck to the antennae need to have certainly been an inconvenience to this small parasite.”.
“There is a good possibility the micro-wasp was parasitizing scale insects because there is a male scale insect embedded in the same piece of amber.
” We could find no fossil or extant pest with such antennal structures,” stated Poinar, an international specialist in using plant and animal life forms maintained in amber to discover the biology and ecology of the far-off past. “We wondered how it might still fly with that weight.”.
Characteristics of Micro-Wasps.
Micro-wasps are defined as those with an adult body length of less than 2 millimeters. There are thousands of species of these parasitic bugs around today, spread among hundreds of genera, Poinar stated. Some are beneficial for managing scale insects, which can be crop pests, he added.
” This micro-wasp has a length of only 1.3 millimeters,” Poinar stated. “That, as well as its 15-segment antennae, a deep cleft in the center of its head, and characters of the wings identify it from all other micro-wasps. The special, miniature cloudlike structures stuck to the antennae must have certainly been an annoyance to this tiny parasite.”.
Possible Theories About the Antennal Structures.
Given that the researchers might not discover such structures on any other pest, existing or extinct, they can just make informed guesses regarding what they could be.
” They could be tiny plant seeds, plant secretions, or eggs from a host the wasp was parasitizing,” Poinar stated. “There is an excellent possibility the micro-wasp was parasitizing scale bugs considering that there is a male scale pest embedded in the same piece of amber. Whatever they are, finding these is one of the things that makes our work so interesting, and challenging: discovering dominant, unique functions on extinct organisms.”.
Calling the New Specimen.
The researchers called the new specimen Caradiophyodus saradae. The genus takes its name from the Greek words for head (kara) and cleft (diaphyodus), and the species name is a nod to fellow researcher Sarada Krishnan.
Reference: “Caradiophyodidae, a New Family of Micro-Wasps (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea) Based on the Description of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. et sp. nov. in Mid-Cretaceous Burmese Amber” by George Poinar Jr. and Fernando E. Vega, 7 August 2023, Life.DOI: 10.3390/ life13081698.