Unearthed: The 113-Million-Year-Old ‘Hell Ant’ Fossil That Could Rewrite Ant Evolution Forever
That said, ants on the whole continued to thrive and soon became the most common insect in the fossil record. Today, there are an estimated 20 quadrillion individual ants on Earth, or 2.5 million ants for every one human being.
To Lepeco, the new find is significant in one other way as well: this 113-million-year-old hell ant is an example of what researchers can find hidden in existing collections as well as an indication of the wealth of fossil history in Brazil.
“This finding highlights the importance of thorough examination of existing collections — private or in museums,” he noted, “and brings a spotlight to Brazilian paleontology and the underexplored fossil insect fauna of the country.”
After reading about the oldest known ant fossil ever found, discover the story of the bullet ant, the insect with the world’s most painful sting. Then, learn about cordyceps, the real-life “zombie” fungus featured on The Last Of Us, which kills ants and other insects.
Post Comment