Research
Scientists Discover a 98-Million-Year-Old Mantis With 'Leaves' on Its Abdomen, Trapped in Amber
ScienceAlert · By Jess Cockerill ·
The Brief
- Scientists described a mantis preserved in amber that is about 98 million years old.
- The insect has leaf-like structures on its abdomen.
- The source describes it as the earliest known example of mantid mimicry.
Why it matters
The find pushes back the documented record of mantis mimicry, giving paleontologists evidence of camouflage strategies in a much older lineage.
Who’s affected
- paleontologists and entomologists
- readers interested in fossil insects and evolutionary camouflage
- #paleontology
- #amber fossils
- #mantises
- #mimicry
- #cretaceous
The earliest example of mantid mimicry. ScienceAlert stories are written, fact-checked, and edited by humans, never generated by AI. Don't miss a story, subscribe here.
Timeline
ScienceAlert reports the discovery of the 98-million-year-old mantis in amber
ScienceAlert
Scientists Discover a 98-Million-Year-Old Mantis With 'Leaves' on Its Abdomen, Trapped in Amber