120 Million Year Old Pollinating Insect Found In Russia

Ancient fossil remains of earwig-like insects, known as tillyardembiids, were discovered by paleontologists in Russia.

 The discovery is very unique because it pre-dates the earliest recorded pollen-covered insects by approximately 120 million years.

 The insects were discovered with pollen from gymnosperms, non-flowering plants that existed approximately 542 to 250 million years ago.

The fossils were discovered in a lagoon near the village of Chekarda, which is 1,600km from Moscow.

The researchers also found evident insect bites on plants dating back more than 250 million years.

Tillyardembiids, were considered to have been left by grasshoppers, which are some of the most ancient chewing creatures.

The behavior traits of the tillyardembiids could be seen as a precursor to earlier insect pollination.

This finding presents fresh insight into the ecology and history of plants, and further detailed observations of animal interactions may help figure out biological features of ancient organisms in the future from fossils.

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