u/DiscoveryAmber

RARE Extinct "Iron-maiden Ant" (Zigrasimecia) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

*From My Personal Collection of Hymenoptera*

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

Order: Hymenoptera

Family: Formicidae

Subfamily: Zigrasimeciinae (Extinct Stem-Group Ant)

Genus: Zigrasimecia

Species: (Inconclusive)

Other notable inclusions:

Zigrasimecia, popularly known as the "iron maiden ant," is an extinct genus of highly specialized stem-group ants that lived during the Cretaceous period, roughly 98 to 99 million years ago. It belongs to the unique subfamily Zigrasimeciinae. Fossils of this genus are found almost exclusively as inclusions in Burmese (Kachin) amber within Myanmar.

- Their highly specialized jaws swung open sideways (posterolaterally) and snapped shut backward (anteromedially). The inner oral face of the mandibles was covered in spiky, traction-strengthening hairs (setae).

- Paleontologists believe Zigrasimecia was a generalist predator. It frequently shared its terrestrial environment and likely engaged in violent resource conflicts with Gerontoformica, another genus of ancient Cretaceous ants.

- Because their specialized mandibles were optimized strictly for combat and trapping, scientists hypothesize that the rugose, hardened cuticular projections on their crowns were utilized to dig out nests.

*This particular specimen which measures about 2.9mm (unstretched) is exceptionally preserved and is contained in a very clear yellow amber stone.*

*From My Personal Collection of Hymenoptera*

RARE Extinct "Iron-maiden Ant" (Zigrasimecia) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

*From My Personal Collection of Hymenoptera*

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

Order: Hymenoptera

Family: Formicidae

Subfamily: Zigrasimeciinae (Extinct Stem-Group Ant)

Genus: Zigrasimecia

Species: (Inconclusive)

Other notable inclusions:

Zigrasimecia, popularly known as the "iron maiden ant," is an extinct genus of highly specialized stem-group ants that lived during the Cretaceous period, roughly 98 to 99 million years ago. It belongs to the unique subfamily Zigrasimeciinae. Fossils of this genus are found almost exclusively as inclusions in Burmese (Kachin) amber within Myanmar.

- Their highly specialized jaws swung open sideways (posterolaterally) and snapped shut backward (anteromedially). The inner oral face of the mandibles was covered in spiky, traction-strengthening hairs (setae).

- Paleontologists believe Zigrasimecia was a generalist predator. It frequently shared its terrestrial environment and likely engaged in violent resource conflicts with Gerontoformica, another genus of ancient Cretaceous ants.

- Because their specialized mandibles were optimized strictly for combat and trapping, scientists hypothesize that the rugose, hardened cuticular projections on their crowns were utilized to dig out nests.

*This particular specimen which measures about 2.9mm (unstretched) is exceptionally preserved and is contained in a very clear yellow amber stone.*

*From My Personal Collection of Hymenoptera*

RARE Possible Lacewing Eggs in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

Order: Neuroptera

RARE Possible Lacewing Eggs in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

- Certain lacewings are known to lay tiny, oval-shaped eggs on top of long, slender, hair-like silken stalks attached to plant leaves or stems. This unique elevated design stops newly hatched, aggressive larvae from eating each other or being easily reached by crawling predators like ants. The eggs are typically laid on the underside of leaves where they stay hidden from predators and harsh weather.

- I cannot be sure of the specific species of Cretaceous lacewings that these eggs are associated with but they're very similar to the eggs laid by Green Lacewings and Brown Lacewings nowadays.

*Finding lacewing eggs or insects in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (roughly 99 million years old) is extremely rare. While lacewing larvae occasionally turn up in amber collections, fragile structures like delicate stalked lacewing eggs are exceptionally uncommon finds in the fossil record. (The most famous fossil discovery of hatching lacewing eggs and egg-bursters actually came from older 130-million-year-old Lebanese amber, not Burmese amber).*

There are about 8-9 Lacewing eggs which measure around 2mm to 2.5mm. Three of the lacewing eggs have been degraded and aren't very visible.

Other notable inclusions: strange loose debris contained in the left enhydro (which moves when the amber is tilted), many unknown tiny filaments scattered in the piece next to the Lacewing eggs and two strange spherical occlusions.

RARE Extinct Spongefly (Paradoxosisyrinae) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

Order: Neuroptera

Family: Sisyridae

Subfamily: Paradoxosisyrinae (Extinct Spongefly)

Genus: Paradoxosisyra

Species: (Inconclusive)

Other notable inclusions: a Piddock boring, botanical matter and a Beetle also in the piece.

Paradoxosisyrinae is an extinct subfamily of Spongeflies (in the family Sisyridae) known from Cretaceous fossils, notably discovered in 99-million-year-old Burmese amber. These tiny, specialized lacewings feature extraordinarily long mouthparts, pointing to ancient feeding strategies like nectarivory or probing shallow Cretaceous flowers.

Paradoxosisyrinae represent the earliest known lineage of Spongeflies, dating back to the Cenomanian stage of the Cretaceous period.

Instead of the aquatic, sponge-feeding habits of modern subfamilies, these Cretaceous stem-group Spongeflies were likely adapted to feed on nectar from early shallow flowers.

RARE Extinct Spongefly (Paradoxosisyrinae) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

Order: Neuroptera

Family: Sisyridae

Subfamily: Paradoxosisyrinae (Extinct Spongefly)

Genus: Paradoxosisyra

Species: (Inconclusive)

Other notable inclusions: a Piddock boring, botanical matter and a Beetle also in the piece.

Paradoxosisyrinae is an extinct subfamily of Spongeflies (in the family Sisyridae) known from Cretaceous fossils, notably discovered in 99-million-year-old Burmese amber. These tiny, specialized lacewings feature extraordinarily long mouthparts, pointing to ancient feeding strategies like nectarivory or probing shallow Cretaceous flowers.

Paradoxosisyrinae represent the earliest known lineage of Spongeflies, dating back to the Cenomanian stage of the Cretaceous period.

Instead of the aquatic, sponge-feeding habits of modern subfamilies, these Cretaceous stem-group Spongeflies were likely adapted to feed on nectar from early shallow flowers.

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

RARE Possible Frog Tadpoles in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

There have not been any tadpoles found yet in the fossil record of amber. While adult and juvenile forest frogs like Electrorana limoae have been found in 99-million-year-old Burmese amber from Myanmar, fully aquatic life stages like tadpoles are almost impossible to trap in tree resin, making them infinitely rarer than adult frogs.

- *These particular specimens appear to be an extremely rare case of tadpole hatchlings preserved in Burmese amber.
The specimens each measure about 2.5mm to 3mm in length. There are about eight to nine tadpole hatchlings in this piece (three of them are badly preserved and have degraded).*

- I cannot know the exact species or type of frog that these tadpole hatchlings are associated with but it is quite possible that these belong to a type of tropical tree frog (similar to modern tree frogs) which are known to lay eggs on top of leaves that hang over puddles of water.

- *In this extraordinary piece of amber, there is also what appears to be imprints of a leaf in the background layers of the amber along with two notable enhydros (trapped pockets of water). There is some loose debris that moves inside one enhydro (left enhydro) as well as some strange small spherical occlusions.*

Other notable inclusions: strange loose debris contained in the left enhydro (which moves when the amber is tilted), many unknown tiny filaments scattered in the piece next to the tadpole hatchlings and two strange spherical occlusions.

RARE Possible Frog Tadpole Hatchlings in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

RARE Possible Frog Tadpoles in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

There have not been any tadpoles found yet in the fossil record of amber. While adult and juvenile forest frogs like Electrorana limoae have been found in 99-million-year-old Burmese amber from Myanmar, fully aquatic life stages like tadpoles are almost impossible to trap in tree resin, making them infinitely rarer than adult frogs.

- *These particular specimens appear to be an extremely rare case of tadpole hatchlings preserved in Burmese amber.
The specimens each measure about 2.5mm to 3mm in length. There are about eight to nine tadpole hatchlings in this piece (three of them are badly preserved and have degraded).*

- I cannot know the exact species or type of frog that these tadpole hatchlings are associated with but it is quite possible that these belong to a type of tropical tree frog (similar to modern tree frogs) which are known to lay eggs on top of leaves that hang over puddles of water.

- *In this extraordinary piece of amber, there is also what appears to be imprints of a leaf in the background layers of the amber along with two notable enhydros (trapped pockets of water). There is some loose debris that moves inside one enhydro (left enhydro) as well as some strange small spherical occlusions.*

Other notable inclusions: strange loose debris contained in the left enhydro (which moves when the amber is tilted), many unknown tiny filaments scattered in the piece next to the tadpole hatchlings and two strange spherical occlusions.

RARE Sprig of Flowers in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 28 x 24 x 7 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

RARE Sprig of Flowers in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

I'm unsure which family and species these flowers belong to however; this sprig looks similar to the described Species: Micropetasos burmensis which belongs to the eudicot clade Pentapetalae.

Other notable inclusions: remnants of large Dipteras, botanical matter, parts of leaves also in the piece.

RARE Mushroom or Slime Mold in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 17 x 8 x 3 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

RARE Mushroom or Slime Mold in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

I'm unsure of the family or species as mushrooms are quite rare to find in Burmese amber, there are only a handful of described mushrooms from article publications and there is no match for this one.

This could also be a type of rare slime mold.

The inclusions measures about 3.81mm in length from the top to the "stem".

RARE Mushroom or Slime Mold in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 17 x 8 x 3 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

RARE Mushroom or Slime Mold in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

I'm unsure of the family or species as mushrooms are quite rare to find in Burmese amber, there are only a handful of described mushrooms from article publications and there is no match for this one.

This could also be a type of rare slime mold.

The inclusions measures about 3.81mm in length from the top to the "stem".

RARE COMPLETE Damselfly (Hemiphlebiidae) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 39 x 25 x 7 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

Order: Odonata
Suborder: Zygoptera
Superfamily: Lestoidea
Family: Hemiphlebiidae (Extinct Damselfly)
Genus: Burmahemiphlebia
Species: Burmahemiphlebia hui or Burmahemiphlebia zhangi?
Other notable inclusions: a rare Postopsyllidiidae (Thrips-Like Hemiptera) also in the piece, botanical matter, a Dictyopteran nymph, a small beetle, coprolites (fossilized poop), fragments of leaves ect.

Burmahemiphlebia is an extinct genus of Damselflies that dates back to the mid-Cretaceous period (approximately 99 million years ago). Burmahemiphlebia belongs to the ancient, relict family Hemiphlebiidae, which is the oldest known crown-group lineage of damselflies. The only surviving relative of this family today is the Rare "ancient greenling" Damselfly (Hemiphlebia mirabilis) only found in Australia.

Possible species is either Burmahemiphlebia hui or Burmahemiphlebia zhangi.

*Finding a complete Damselfy in amber is extremely rare and this one is no exception when it comes to quality and detail, the distinct wing venations of this Burmahemiphlebia can be viewed with great clarity.*

*This Damselfly measures about 12.21mm in length (unstretched from head to the end of the long abdomen).*

RARE Extinct "Hell Ant" (Haidomyrmex) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 13 x 9 x 3 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Haidomyrmecinae (Extinct "Hell Ant")
Genus: Haidomyrmex
Species: (Inconclusive)
Other notable inclusions:

*This is a very detailed and complete example of a Haidomyrmex worker hell ant.*

Haidomyrmex is an extinct genus of predatory stem-ants commonly referred to as "hell ants". Belonging to the extinct subfamily Haidomyrmecinae, they roamed the earth during the mid-to-late Cretaceous period, roughly 98 to 99 million years ago. They are famous for their bizarre, vertically-oriented mouthparts which are entirely unlike the jaw structures of modern ants.

RARE COMPLETE Damselfly (Hemiphlebiidae) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 39 x 25 x 7 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

Order: Odonata
Suborder: Zygoptera
Superfamily: Lestoidea
Family: Hemiphlebiidae (Extinct Damselfly)
Genus: Burmahemiphlebia
Species: Burmahemiphlebia hui or Burmahemiphlebia zhangi?
Other notable inclusions: a rare Postopsyllidiidae (Thrips-Like Hemiptera) also in the piece, botanical matter, a Dictyopteran nymph, a small beetle, coprolites (fossilized poop), fragments of leaves ect.

Burmahemiphlebia is an extinct genus of Damselflies that dates back to the mid-Cretaceous period (approximately 99 million years ago). Burmahemiphlebia belongs to the ancient, relict family Hemiphlebiidae, which is the oldest known crown-group lineage of damselflies. The only surviving relative of this family today is the Rare "ancient greenling" Damselfly (Hemiphlebia mirabilis) only found in Australia.

Possible species is either Burmahemiphlebia hui or Burmahemiphlebia zhangi.

*Finding a complete Damselfy in amber is extremely rare and this one is no exception when it comes to quality and detail, the distinct wing venations of this Burmahemiphlebia can be viewed with great clarity.*

*This Damselfly measures about 12.21mm in length (unstretched from head to the end of the long abdomen).*

RARE Strepsiptera with Thrips Swarm in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 26 x 13 x 4 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago
Order: Strepsiptera
Suborder: Incertae sedis (No Placement)
Family: Cretostylopidae (Extinct Twisted-winged Parasites)
Species: (Inconclusive)
Other notable inclusions: in the piece there is also a very prominent Thrips (Thysanoptera) swarm in the piece.

Cretostylopidae is an extinct family of bizarre, endoparasitic insects within the order Strepsiptera (twisted-wing parasites). Known primarily from mid-Cretaceous amber in Myanmar, this ancient lineage demonstrates that these highly specialized parasites evolved alongside dinosaurs roughly 100 million years ago.

Strepsiptera (twisted-wing parasites) are extremely rare in amber primarily because of their bizarre and highly specialized life cycle. Adult females and larvae are endoparasites that live entirely inside their insect hosts (like bees and wasps). Adult males only live for a few hours to a day and fly in search of a mate, this greatly minimizes the chance of a flying male getting caught in resin.

*Not only is this Strepsiptera incredibly rare, but there is also a swarm of Thrips (Thysanoptera) also in the piece which is also a rare occurrence in amber.*

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

RARE PLANT GALL on Leaf in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Plant galls are abnormal growths on plants. They form when insects, mites, bacteria, or fungi land on a plant and release chemicals. Insects inject special proteins and growth chemicals into tree buds or leaves while laying eggs or feeding. These chemicals force the plant to redirect its own growth hormones to that specific spot. The gall gives the pest (or the pest's larva) food and safety. Most galls do not harm the plant.

I'm uncertain which organism may have caused this particular plant to form this Gall but the most common insects are gall midges, gall wasps, aphids and bark lice.

*Plant Galls are rare in amber because galls are heavy, attached to leaves or stems, and are not easily moved by the wind, they rarely fall into sticky tree resin.*

Other notable inclusions: a bigger cut and exposed gall in the corner of the piece with bits of Pyrite deposited inside, a section of a leaf on which the plant gall is affixed to. A few small Enhydros. A lot of "Sporangium-like pods" scattered in the piece.

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

RARE PLANT GALL on Leaf in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Plant galls are abnormal growths on plants. They form when insects, mites, bacteria, or fungi land on a plant and release chemicals. Insects inject special proteins and growth chemicals into tree buds or leaves while laying eggs or feeding. These chemicals force the plant to redirect its own growth hormones to that specific spot. The gall gives the pest (or the pest's larva) food and safety. Most galls do not harm the plant.

I'm uncertain which organism may have caused this particular plant to form this Gall but the most common insects are gall midges, gall wasps, aphids and bark lice.

*Plant Galls are rare in amber because galls are heavy, attached to leaves or stems, and are not easily moved by the wind, they rarely fall into sticky tree resin.*

Other notable inclusions: a bigger cut and exposed gall in the corner of the piece with bits of Pyrite deposited inside, a section of a leaf on which the plant gall is affixed to. A few small Enhydros. A lot of "Sporangium-like pods" scattered in the piece.

RARE Unknown Wasp in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

*From My Personal Collection of Hymenoptera*

Size: 17 x 10 x 6 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

I believe this is an undescribed wasp belonging to a family related to Crabronidae or perhaps is a undescribed species within the Extinct Family Cirrosphecidae?

This specimen bears slight similarity with the described species "Glenocephalus mandibularis" within the extinct family Cirrosphecidae.

Possible Taxonomy,

Order: Hymenoptera
Suborder: Apocrita
Infraorder: Aculeata
Superfamily: Apoidea
Family: Cirrosphecidae
Subfamily: Glenocephalinae ?
Genus: Glenocephalus ?

Cirrosphecidae is an extinct family of ancient wasps found only in mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar (Burmese amber). Researchers raised them to family status in 2021. They are scientifically significant because scientists consider them to be the closest known evolutionary relatives to modern bees.

*This particular wasp is interesting because of its strange pronounced elongated mandibles.* This wasp measures about 3.40mm in length from top to bottom (unstretched).

*From My Personal Collection of Hymenoptera*

Extinct Crabronid Wasp ( Crabronidae ) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 15 x 12 x 4 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago
Order: Hymenoptera
Superfamily: Apoidea
Family: Crabronidae ? (Extinct Wasp)
Species: (Inconclusive)
Other notable inclusions:

This is possibly a type of Crabronid wasp?

This wasp is wonderfully angled and fully detailed with exceptional preservation.

Two Extinct Ensign Scale Insects ( Ortheziidae ) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 21 x 21 x 9 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Sternorrhyncha
Superfamily: Coccoidea
Family: Ortheziidae (Extinct Ensign Scale Insects)
Genus: Wathondara
Species: Wathondara kotejai ?
Other notable inclusions: some small beetles, a Millipede and multiple possible small Enhydros in the piece.

Ortheziidae is a small family of scale insects commonly known as ensign scales or ortheziids. They belong to the superfamily Coccoidea under the order Hemiptera (true bugs).

Possible species Wathondara kotejai ?

RARE Reptile Egg in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Extremely Rare reptile egg preserved in mid-Cretaceous amber. This egg likely belonged to a tiny lizard or a Gecko.

The size of the egg inclusion measures about 6mm in length.

Other Inclusions: Degraded remnants of Millipedes, Mites and other insects. Small mites present. Botanical debris and Coprolites (Fossilized Feces) also in the piece.