Baltic amber (50 MYO) - exstremely! rare iconic broad-shouldered water strider nymph (Veliidae) - body length 3 mm. I have no idea what the white balls that are near its abdomen is? ID confirmed by Dávid Rédei (curator at the Natural History Museum in Hungary and specialist in Heteroptera)
A closeup of the leg <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amber-inclusions/5449351538/in/set-72157625477886169/">www.flickr.com/photos/amber-inclusions/5449351538/in/set-...</a>
The resin runs rarely into the water and catch aquatic insects. But there happen to be a wingless water strider in the water surface and which happens to get caught in the resin, is very unusual! There are actually only found one (see the quote) Veliid in amber - <i>this fact makes this specimen to number two</i>
Here is a quote from the book Life in amber by George O. Poinar, Jr. (ISBN 0-8047-2001-0) - It gives a feeling how rare they actually are:
<b>"These small water striders occur on the surface of streams or ponds where they prey on other insects. A single report of a veliid in Baltic amber (Andersen, 1982) is the only record of this group in amber."</b> <i>(page 119, line 7-10)</i>
<i>Note he is talking about all types of amber - and we have for instance extracted Baltic amber and studied it scientifically since late 1700 / early 1800 .</i>
Baltic amber (50 MYO) - exstremely! rare iconic broad-shouldered water strider nymph (Veliidae) - body length 3 mm. I have no idea what the white balls that are near its abdomen? ID confirmed by Dávid Rédei (curator at the Natural History Museum in Hungary and specialist in Heteroptera)
The resin runs rarely into the water and catch aquatic insects. But there happen to be a wingless water strider in the water surface and which happens to get caught in the resin, is very unusual! There are actually only found one (see the quote) Veliid in amber - this fact makes this specimen to number two.
Here is a quote from the book Life in amber by George O. Poinar, Jr. (ISBN 0-8047-2001-0) - It gives a feeling how rare they actually are:"These small water striders occur on the surface of streams or ponds where they prey on other insects. A single report of a veliid in Baltic amber (Andersen, 1982) is the only record of this group in amber." (page 119, line 7-10)
Note he is talking about all types of amber - and we have for instance extracted Baltic amber and studied it scientifically since late 1700 / early 1800 .
