usaman65 Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Hi- I found this nice insect fossil in NJ cretaceous amber a while ago, I was told it may be a transitional Ant/wasp. I dont know what to think. check out the pics. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I came across this while looking for some info: http://ant.edb.miyakyo-u.ac.jp/AZ/RWTaylorPreprint.pdf http://australianmuseum.net.au/Sawflies-Wa...nts-Hymenoptera They ants and wasps do share a common ancestor so a transitional species does seem logical, I tried to find some names or pictures to help ID your find but haven't come up with any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkchaser Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 You found that out hunting???!?! That's a dang nice find. RAWR! I am zeee dead bobcat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 That is really cool. Looks wasp/bee like to me. But im not insect expert. How big is the amber piece? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy1971 Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Really nice find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Awesome piece! Given the supreme rarity of Cretaceous amber with inclusions, there is some likelihood that your insect is new to science. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 The oldest known ant came out of New Jersey Amber. It looks like there might be wings on your specimen, which is telling me wasp, although reproductive ants do have wings. Also, the body is pretty blocky, making it look more bee-like to me. All in all, I'd say wasp. Brent Ashcraft ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usaman65 Posted August 4, 2009 Author Share Posted August 4, 2009 The peice is around 1" long. I knew it had an inclusion when i found it. Think i should send the peice to someone? i dont think its a wasp because of the lack of stinger not to meantion the odd abdomen. weird. and heres a few of the others i found over the years for ya'll to take a look at. all in cretaceous NJ amber. thanks! kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I love that insect in your very last shot. Do you know what it is? I didn't realize you had amber there. Great finds! Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Awesome piece!Given the supreme rarity of Cretaceous amber with inclusions, there is some likelihood that your insect is new to science. I'm with Auspex on this one. You should have the email addresses of a couple of experts that specialize in Cretaceous insects. You never know when you're going to run into something new.... The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usaman65 Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 DOes anybody have the emails of where i should send the peice? thanks kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 The peice is around 1" long. I knew it had an inclusion when i found it. Think i should send the peice to someone? i dont think its a wasp because of the lack of stinger not to meantion the odd abdomen. weird. Don't go by the stinger, primitive ants have them. To be an ant, you can't have wings, except as a reproductive. While it is possible that you got a reproductive, the odds are more likely that it would be a worker, so if it is a winged worker, it is a wasp. I wish I could help you on who to contact, as most are probably new to science, but with dial-up, googling can be tough. I would recommend googling "oldest ant, amber" or somthing similar, and look to see who described it, and what university they are affiliated with. I would then e-mail them, followed by a phone call in a week, if no response. Most professors get hundreds of e-mails, and many just ignore any that don't have a name they recognize. Also, using a good topic name helps, but don't initially send any pictures, as they can cause an immediate deletion. Just describe what y ou have, and offer to send some pics, they will probably take you up on it. Dealing with academics is an art. Brent Ashcraft ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haddy Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Or, if you're in the State of NJ, you could go to the Museum in Trenton. I haven't yet been, but I've heard from others that they're pretty helpful there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erose Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 Definitely go to the folks in Trenton or to the Academy of Science in Phily. DO NOT GO TO THE AMNH. There is an expert (who I will not mention by name) on insects in amber there, but you may never see your specimen again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smilodon Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 Definitely go to the folks in Trenton or to the Academy of Science in Phily. DO NOT GO TO THE AMNH. There is an expert (who I will not mention by name) on insects in amber there, but you may never see your specimen again. No one in Philly or Trenton will know anything about it. It's just not their thing although they are very nice people. Sadly Mr. AMNH (Grimaldi) has a very bad reputation regarding amateur collectors. A friend of mine sent him some stuff from NJ to identify. He found a new species - didn't give it back and didn't name it after my friend either The other main amber guy is George Poinar (google him) but I have no idea what he is like to deal with. Despite what you may think, there is a large fauna known from the cretaceous amber site in NJ - don't get your hopes up about a new species. BTW that site was the impetus for the book, Jurassic Park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erose Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 No one in Philly or Trenton will know anything about it. It's just not their thing although they are very nice people. Sadly Mr. AMNH (Grimaldi) has a very bad reputation regarding amateur collectors. A friend of mine sent him some stuff from NJ to identify. He found a new species - didn't give it back and didn't name it after my friend either Thanks Smilodon for confirming what I know about Grimaldi. The AMNH is full of great folks who do wonderful work but unfortunately there have been a few bad apples who have soured the relationship with amateur collectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordpiney Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 hey kev...i have a friend on here, chris aka fossilfacetheprospector, who found a new species of cretaceous bug at that spot, and got it papered. message him and he'll point you in the right direction. i've been there a bunch of times throughout the years, and have a lot of unsearched pieces from there. i need a lighted table to go through them. when's the last time you were there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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