Max-fossils Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Hi all, Here is a beautiful insect that I received from @Darko in a trade. It's from the marl stone mine of Popovac, in Serbia. It's Miocene in age (14 mya). Can anyone tell me more on this insect, as in what genus/species it is? Thanks in advance! Max Max Derème "I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day." - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier Instagram: @world_of_fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 I cannot make out even how many wing pairs are present, or any of the wing veins. Similarly there are no diagnostic features visible on the body or appendages. Some of that might be due to the photos, which are not crisply focused, and in the case of photo #2 there are some contrast issues (maybe blown up too much?) that make it look like an Impressionist painting. At any rate I cannot determine if it is a dipteran (fly) or hymenopteran (bee/wasp), and if you can't tell the Order you certainly can't determine a species. It's a nice enough specimen of an insect, and those are certainly not common, but the photos do not suggest any further ID is possible. Don 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-fossils Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 15 minutes ago, FossilDAWG said: I cannot make out even how many wing pairs are present, or any of the wing veins. Similarly there are no diagnostic features visible on the body or appendages. Some of that might be due to the photos, which are not crisply focused, and in the case of photo #2 there are some contrast issues (maybe blown up too much?) that make it look like an Impressionist painting. At any rate I cannot determine if it is a dipteran (fly) or hymenopteran (bee/wasp), and if you can't tell the Order you certainly can't determine a species. It's a nice enough specimen of an insect, and those are certainly not common, but the photos do not suggest any further ID is possible. Don Thanks Don! Hope that those pictures are slightly better... I think that a good part of the wings is still under the matrix; but I don't dare to touch it with my tools, as I'm very inexperienced in prepping and don't want to damage this fossil... Max Derème "I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day." - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier Instagram: @world_of_fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 You need an experienced paleoentomologist for that, and with the little known site it's quite possible that the fly is of an undescribed genus or species. 1 “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-fossils Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 23 minutes ago, WhodamanHD said: You need an experienced paleoentomologist for that, and with the little known site it's quite possible that the fly is of an undescribed genus or species. Thanks Mason! Perhaps I should bring it to the Naturalis in Leiden? Max Derème "I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day." - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier Instagram: @world_of_fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 35 minutes ago, WhodamanHD said: You need an experienced paleoentomologist for that, and with the little known site it's quite possible that the fly is of an undescribed genus or species. Look no further. FossilDAWG is a PhD entomologist. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-fossils Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 3 minutes ago, piranha said: Look no further. FossilDAWG is a PhD entomologist. Wow, seriously? Impressive Don @FossilDAWG! Max Derème "I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day." - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier Instagram: @world_of_fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Just now, piranha said: Look no further. FossilDAWG is a PhD entomologist. Meant in the hands of, photos can be harder to use (I have no doubts about @FossilDAWGs skills) Not an easy thing to do, I remember seeing people like fossildawg painstakingly go through hundreds green river bugs at the Smithsonian. Heck, they may even remove some excess matrix! 17 minutes ago, Max-fossils said: Thanks Mason! Perhaps I should bring it to the Naturalis in Leiden? Maybe, I'm not to familiar with them (though from Wikipedia I can tell they have a huge insect collection). 1 “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-fossils Posted September 29, 2017 Author Share Posted September 29, 2017 9 hours ago, WhodamanHD said: Meant in the hands of, photos can be harder to use (I have no doubts about @FossilDAWGs skills) Not an easy thing to do, I remember seeing people like fossildawg painstakingly go through hundreds green river bugs at the Smithsonian. Heck, they may even remove some excess matrix! Maybe, I'm not to familiar with them (though from Wikipedia I can tell they have a huge insect collection). The Naturalis is a pretty important museum; they're currently housing Trix, the T-Rex found by @chele! They have a big staff of experienced scientists. I think that that's maybe the wisest thing to do. Max Derème "I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day." - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier Instagram: @world_of_fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darko Posted October 8, 2017 Share Posted October 8, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darko Posted October 8, 2017 Share Posted October 8, 2017 So that means then that i've found two unindentified species of inscets? @Max-fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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