Secrets Frozen in Time: Two Mysterious Ancient Cockroach Species Unearthed in Myanmar Amber Cave
This prehistoric surprise came after researchers were given 110 tons of amber to study. Prior experts had already dated the amber by dating the mine’s volcanic rocks, though nobody quite expected to find anything as old and well-preserved as this.
Published in the Gondwana Research journal, the findings represent “the only known dinosaur age cave survivors.” According to LiveScience, the “exquisitely preserved” cave-dwelling cockroaches have already rewritten history, as they were thought to only date back to 65 million years — until now.
Lenka Podstrelená, Sendi et al. Gondwana Res 2020 (Copyright Elsevier 2020)The two specimen were found in amber, with experts theorizing tree roots that burrowed into the cave and dripped resin being responsible.
These ancient roaches are now the oldest-known specimen of “troglomorphic” organisms, which denote living beings that adapt effectively to the dark and damp environs of a cave.
Though many examples of cave-dwelling insects with small eyes, wings, long arms, and antennae have been discovered, these are by far the oldest. It’s unclear how they were trapped in amber, but researchers believe tree roots that burrowed into the cave and dripped resin inside were responsible.
They also believe these cockroaches likely ate dinosaur guano, or excrement, just as modern cockroaches feed on bird and bat droppings. How they survived the apocalyptic extinction event that killed the planet’s dinosaur population remains unclear, though cockroaches are famously resilient.
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