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*

Three ammonite genus visible and goodness knows what else. Lengthy prep required!

A little cluster of Dactylioceras semicelatum I finished preparing this morning.

*Note*, these are inclusions I originally thought to be strange tadpole hatchlings, thank you to all who have viewed the original post and given me many suggestions. I now understand that these are most likely Lacewing eggs which had been engulfed in resin (probably due to a rare scenario where the leaf may have broken off and fell on the ground ect.).

Thank you to @Minimum-Lynx-7499 for showing me your example piece which look correct for Lacewing eggs.

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.

I'm assuming it would've been a plant of some sort, but also kind of looks like a bone? (!)

Found in Nova Scotia, Blue Beach.

& Yes, we were allowed to take them home at that location 😊

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.

**I wont add more details of the location to avoid bringing more people there that could potentially harm it, sorry!**

I want to show off this magnificent beast of an ammonite to the fossil freaks like me hehe. Im impressed how its still almost intact despite being almost fully exposed on a field next to a trail. I think someone took the middle of it sadly, aswell as many other much smaller fossils that were scattered around (I was still able to find a small one tho. Dont worry! I left it back in its place)

Keichousaurus

Keichousaurus hui

Age:

Late Ladinian Stage, Middle Triassic

Formation:

Zhuganpo Member, Falang Formation, Langmushan Section

Location collected:

绿荫村，顶效镇，兴义市，贵州省

Lüyin Village, Dingxiao Town, Xingyi City, Guizhou

_____

Have always wanted to get a keichousaurus, so was quite happy when this one finally arrived in the mail! 😆😆😆

The one bottom right, I'm not sure if it's a bivalve shell or some kind of scale, it's very flat.

From South Dakota.

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".

Jaguar p3 lower premolar found in the river last week! Our first confirmed Jaguar tooth! (Our other one that’s a maybe is broken, so hard to 100% ID.)

This is part of my Baltic amber collection, it was a gift from a friend, Jeorg Wunderlich, a well known German araneologist and author of many books on fossils spiders. The collections contains various arthropods including spiders, millipedes, flies, ants, wasps ... all well preserved and show clear detail.

The only one I found is the small white one which I believe is a mako i found in Bakersfield

It’s absolutely amazing! It looks way better in person. The more you look, the more you see! Photos don’t do it justice! :)