Fungus Gnat in Amber, Colombian, Pliocene, 10 MYO
Far and away the most fossiliferous amber originates in Colombia, albeit it has become fairly widespread that all fossil resin from Colombia is called copal. The amber versus copal distinction is lost on many geologists and paleontologists that are aware that scientific data is unavailable to determine the age of fossil resins from this region. The consensus age estimate seems to be Pleistocene (up to 2 million years old), but estimates range to the Lower Miocene (about 20 million years old). Though geological studies are unlikly soon in this region that is controlled by drug cartels, it seems safe conjecture that there is a large range of age across different deposits, similar to that of the Dominican Republic. In the Dominican republic, mine cave-ins are a danger, in Colombia the danger is AK47's. Whether amber or copal, young or old, the fossil insects and other arthropod inclusions and their associations are truly sublime. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Colombian amber to those with a scientific propensity are the wonderful fossil associations. So many species are often in association that the specimen will represent an ecological cross section of an ancient rainforest.
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Photo credit: © Phil Degginger / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 10, amber, ancient, baltic, bug, bugs, cenozoic, colombian, deposit, ecology, entomology, environment, eocene, flies, fly, forest, fossil, fossilization, fossilized, fossils, fungus, gnat, inclusions, insect, insects, life, mya, mycetophilid, mycetophilidae, myo, paleogene, paleontology, pleistocene, pliocene, preservation, preserved, resin, saved, tree
