Extraordinary Ancient Earwig Species Discovered

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Posted on 12/21/2024 1:20:25 PM PST by nickcarraway

A newly discovered species of earwig, estimated to be about 55 million years old, has been found in Denmark.

The ancient insect, named Apachyus madseni, lived during the Early Eocene epoch and measured nearly 1.9 cm (0.75 inches) long.

Apachyus madseni belongs to the genus Apachyus within the family Apachyidae, which is part of the order Dermaptera (commonly known as earwigs). Today, species from this family are mainly found in central and southern Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia. Modern earwigs are known for their flat bodies and bright colouring.

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Denmark bans non-nordic flags on flagpoles “Currently, the Apachyidae family has 15 living species divided into two genera, 13 species in Apachyus and two in Dendroiketes,” explained Museum Mor’s palaeontologist Jan Audun Rasmussen and his colleagues. “Apachyus madseni expands the known range of this family, showing that their current distribution does not necessarily reflect their past range.”

Ancient Earwig Species Discovery Location A mostly complete fossil of Apachyus madseni was discovered in the Fur Formation on Mors Island in northwestern Denmark. This site, part of the Fur Formation, was once a seabed during the Early Eocene epoch when Denmark was covered by the sea.

“The fossil represents the second Dermaptera species identified from the Fur Formation, and the first to belong to the Apachyidae family,” the paleontologists said.

The researchers believe Apachyus madseni was likely carried to the sea by driftwood or tree bark, possibly from Sweden or Norway. “We are not surprised to find an ancestor of this tropical and subtropical family so far north in Denmark,” said Dr. Rasmussen. “Fifty-five million years ago, the region had subtropical to near-tropical conditions, which is reflected in the fossilised fish, birds, insects, and plants discovered in the seabed deposits of Mors and Fur.”

The findings have been published in the journal Palaeoentomology.

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1 posted on 12/21/2024 1:20:25 PM PST by nickcarraway

To: nickcarraway

2 posted on 12/21/2024 1:23:16 PM PST by 9YearLurker

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