PaleoNoel Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 During what I like to call the fossil hunting off-season for folks up in New England you sometimes manage to find something sitting beneath your nose ever since you first found the piece. (i.e. a tooth or shell you missed in a conglomerate or an odd little vertebra you forgot you found at a microsite etc.) This is a similar case where it was only today that I found this tiny insect in some of the material I brought home this summer from Douglas Pass, Colorado (Green River fm. parachute creek member). I hadn't noticed the front of the body and legs until a few hours ago when re-examining the leaves and bugs specimens I picked up from the locality. After carefully picking away at the somewhat flaky matrix the rest of the body was revealed. I want to know what you think its identity is, my guess is mosquito or potentially mayfly. Thoughts? The length is about 3 mm from head to abdomen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 The width of the wings suggests more likely a mayfly to me. Also at the end of the abdomen, could that be the 3 bristles mashed together or is it material squeezed out of the body? But then the comparatively long legs tends to favour mosquito. Nice specimen to find after the event! Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 4 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said: The width of the wings suggests more likely a mayfly to me. Also at the end of the abdomen, could that be the 3 bristles mashed together or is it material squeezed out of the body? But then the comparatively long legs tends to favour mosquito. Nice specimen to find after the event! Thanks! And it's hard to tell but i don't believe it has the bristles you mentioned. Although it may not be preserved, I don't see the proboscis of the mosquito but I'm not sure of the differences between species. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Looks similar to this one from the same site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Amateur Paleontologist Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Neat bug -Christian Opalised fossils are the best: a wonderful mix between paleontology and mineralogy! Q. Where do dinosaurs study? A. At Khaan Academy!... My ResearchGate profile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Great find! I really enjoy looking back through my collection, and finding things I did not know were there. I think your insect is a mosquito. It looks more like a mosquito than a mayfly, to me. I hope you don't mind, ... I took the liberty of cropping and contrasting your photo, then comparing it with the original. There is the possibility that there are still some bits that are covered by matrix. Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 All of a sudden I'm starting to itch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailingAlongToo Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Sweet! Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about science books......... Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Nice find! I agree with a mosquito. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 8 hours ago, doushantuo said: Nice! 5 hours ago, Rockwood said: Looks similar to this one from the same site. 5 hours ago, The Amateur Paleontologist said: Neat bug -Christian 3 hours ago, Fossildude19 said: Great find! I really enjoy looking back through my collection, and finding things I did not know were there. I think your insect is a mosquito. It looks more like a mosquito than a mayfly, to me. I hope you don't mind, ... I took the liberty of cropping and contrasting your photo, then comparing it with the original. There is the possibility that there are still some bits that are covered by matrix. 1 hour ago, caldigger said: All of a sudden I'm starting to itch! 1 hour ago, SailingAlongToo said: Sweet! 1 hour ago, ynot said: Nice find! I agree with a mosquito. Thanks everyone, I was excited to find this little guy! I think i'm gonna go with mosquito based on the body and legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggedy Man Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Its a mosquito. Heres my specimen from the same site. ...I'm back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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