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Ramon

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Hi guys and gal, I recently bought some burmese amber pieces online. When I looked through this particular piece, I was amazed at the inclusion within it. It looks like a spider or tick, or some type of arachnid, however I am no entomologist. I was wondering if one of The Fossil Forum’s members could help me id this mysterious little critter. The specimen come from northern Myanmar/Burma and is about 99 million years old from the middle Cretaceous period. I have never seen an insect like this. It is quite squared in shape. It is a small insect around 3-4 mm.

 

 

Through a 10x lense 

 

4E95CCE2-4F3B-481D-A0A9-EBB483A4C300.thumb.jpeg.4f63bdfad69fda4e22f87c27ae43afdf.jpeg

 

Abdomen focused through a 40x microscope

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What looks like fangs (such as those in arachnids) in a 100x microscope

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Edited by Ramon

 

"Without fossils, no one would have ever dreamed that there were successive epochs in the formation of the earth" - Georges Cuvier

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More pics..

 

 

Front legs though 40x 

0235F5E1-DFF0-4C2D-9E22-6410FF897D6F.thumb.jpeg.72cc1617c847ae537adf903ee1736be1.jpeg

 

 

Back legs through 40x 

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"Without fossils, no one would have ever dreamed that there were successive epochs in the formation of the earth" - Georges Cuvier

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It seems plausible that what you have here is an arachnid, however, what you have highlighted as "fangs" doesn't line up. I can see why you would say as much, but it's just not the right proportions or placement for a mandible. If there is an arachnid here, I think the body portions are deteriorated heavily. If we could get stacked photos with better detail on that larger inclusion I think it would be easier to help. 

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Jay A. Wollin

Lead Fossil Educator - Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve

Hamburg, New York, USA

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I don't think it's an arachnid. It may be a fragment of an insect. I wouldn't rule out plant material or even a coprolite though.

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10 minutes ago, Bullsnake said:

Resembles Opiliones (Harvestmen) order of Arachnida.

Not sure about it, but it did get me to notice the arrangement of legs which I hadn't focused on.

It does look like a somewhat disarticulated, and incomplete arachnid.

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Here's another Arachnid in Burmite Amber picture for comparison. Almost all adult arachnids have eight legs, and arachnids may be easily distinguished from insects by this fact, since insects have six legs. However, arachnids also have two further pairs of appendages that have become adapted for feeding, defense, and sensory perception.

image.thumb.png.c082570e6de9e364adb0ac9f3b63b726.png

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8 hours ago, Rockwood said:

Not sure about it, but it did get me to notice the arrangement of legs which I hadn't focused on.

It does look like a somewhat disarticulated, and incomplete arachnid.

 

This is really strange!! :Confused:

 

I personally think it is an arachnid of some sort, because of the 8 pairs of legs like @Bronzviking said.

 

 

 

"Without fossils, no one would have ever dreamed that there were successive epochs in the formation of the earth" - Georges Cuvier

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10 hours ago, DevonianDigger said:

It seems plausible that what you have here is an arachnid, however, what you have highlighted as "fangs" doesn't line up. I can see why you would say as much, but it's just not the right proportions or placement for a mandible. If there is an arachnid here, I think the body portions are deteriorated heavily. If we could get stacked photos with better detail on that larger inclusion I think it would be easier to help. 

 

Yeah, this critter is definitely deteriorated, somehow it’s legs are broken. I wonder how that happened!?? Maybe it was dead prior to it getting trapped in the amber!??

Edited by Ramon

 

"Without fossils, no one would have ever dreamed that there were successive epochs in the formation of the earth" - Georges Cuvier

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6 minutes ago, Ramon said:

I personally think it is an arachnid of some sort, because of the 8 pairs of legs like @Bronzviking said.

It reminds me of the dried specimen setting on the windowsill in the boiler room. :)  

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3 minutes ago, Rockwood said:

It reminds me of the dried specimen setting on the windowsill in the boiler room. :)  

 

Lol!!

 

"Without fossils, no one would have ever dreamed that there were successive epochs in the formation of the earth" - Georges Cuvier

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I got better pictures of the abdomen, unfortunately this is as good as it’s gonna get right now, because the amber needs some polishing. I will try to polish it with a very fine grid in the future. The specimen is also very close to the surface of the amber.

 

 

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Hope this helps

 

 

"Without fossils, no one would have ever dreamed that there were successive epochs in the formation of the earth" - Georges Cuvier

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Don't use any grit to "polish" it. It looks polished already, just needing cleaned. Use a bit of soap & warm water to clean it, then try buffing it with a sheep skin chamois. 

 

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Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties.

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