99-Million-Year-Old Amber Preserves Earliest-Known Mosquito Larva
A new fossil found in a piece of amber from Myanmar represents the first mosquito larva preserved in amber and the first immature mosquito from the Mesozoic Era.
The fossil, named as a new genus and species Cretosabethes primaevus, provides strong support for the Jurassic origin of the mosquito family Culicidae.
The discovery suggests that their larval morphology has remained relatively conserved for at least the past 99 million years.
- The mosquitoes comprise a large group of insects, with over 3,727 living species.
- Currently, 31 fossil species of mosquitoes are recognized.
- Ancient mosquitoes are similar to living species and have been placed in genera with living representatives.
Author's summary: Fossil of 99-million-year-old mosquito larva found in amber from Myanmar.