Photo provided
Ninety million years ago, beetles with sharp, scissor-like mouthparts, elongated heads, and noticeably long antennae roamed alongside dinosaurs in the Orapa diamond mines of what is now Botswana.
It took almost 40 years, but Genus postdoctoral researcher Sandiso Mnguni and his team at the University of the Witwatersrand have released the fossil, shedding light on the beetle's evolutionary history.
This particular specimen is part of the staphylinine goblin, which dates back to the Cretaceous period, about 90 million years ago. This discovery marks the first fossil staphylinin beetle recorded in Africa and the Southern Hemisphere.
The new research entomology journaldescribes a new species. Paleotius McKayand expand the geographic and temporal boundaries of our understanding of these ancient creatures.
This region of Botswana, known for its rich deposits from the Cretaceous period, has become a crucial site for understanding past biodiversity, giving us insight into a world where these beetles hunted alongside dinosaurs. It's clear.
“We know this because sedimentary deposits have been dated using isotopes found in the sediments, specifically an isotope called zircon,” says paleoentomologists, who study insect fossils. said Mnguni.
“They gave us details about the deposits… and the fact that the deposits are 90 million years old means the insects are the same age. In this way, Dinosaurs went extinct only 66 million years ago, so we know they were roaming around with dinosaurs.”
The fossil find was excavated at the Orapa Diamond Mine in the 1980s and photographed without explanation. “It was in three different sources and it was just a photo,” he said. “This was to demonstrate the diversity that can be obtained from a particular deposit, the Orapa Diamond Mine.”
The specimen is housed in the herbarium of the Institute of Evolution at Wits University, where it had previously been photographed before Mnguni discovered it by chance and eventually described it.
unique site
Paleotius McKay is named in honor of Ian James Mackay, a prominent figure in the field of film.
He was a paleo-entomologist and greatly contributed to Mnguni's training.
This species was unearthed from lacustrine sediments, or sediments that accumulate in a lake environment. Its sharp, scissor-like mouthparts suggest a predatory lifestyle, hunting prey in the leaf litter surrounding the crater lakes that once existed in the area.
The authors say rhinoceros beetles are generally known for their mobile lifestyle and preference for a variety of habitats, from soil and leaf litter to water bodies and even animal nests.
These beetles play an important role in controlling pest populations, decomposing organic matter, and contributing to nutrient cycling in ecosystems.
The preservation of this newly described fossil as a flat imprint provides a direct clue to the widespread distribution of the Cretaceous staphylinin beetle.
Previously, similar fossils have been found in various places including China, Russia, Myanmar and the United Kingdom, but Botswana's addition to this list means that the Orapa Diamond Mine is home to a rich biota that includes a variety of flora. It has become clear that this is an important Cretaceous deposit in Africa. and insects, the authors said.
“This site is actually very unique and definitely very important for our heritage and for knowing what was there and documenting the diversity,” Mnguni said. “And it's not just insects. You get plants from the same deposits. It's a very nice deposit.”
While other researchers have “worked a little bit” on the site, Mnguni said the last scientific paper produced from the deposit was in 2015, and that he “basically went into the site and resuscitated the whole thing.” ” he said.
Thrive with Dinosaurs
This discovery shows that these beetle types not only exist, but thrived alongside dinosaurs and haven't changed much over millions of years. This idea that some organisms evolve very slowly supports what scientists call “punctuated evolution,” or the idea that evolution can occur all at once after long periods of small changes. .
Additionally, this beetle shares some familial characteristics with another group of beetles, suggesting that these groups were related from even earlier Jurassic times.
“This beetle is a clue to the long and complex history of life on Earth, showing how several life forms have interconnected and changed over time.” It emphasizes that they have successfully adapted to various environments without significantly changing their morphology. ” says the author.
The complex process of describing new species from such fossils requires hours of detailed analysis. This arduous task often requires repeated testing to identify unique features that justify classification of a new species.
“The more you look at the specimen, the better you understand it. You may notice details that you missed before, which helps you explain it better,” Mnguni said.
discovery of Paleotius McKay It also paves the way for future discoveries at the Orapa Diamond Mine.
“It is likely that many more fossil beetles will be described by the same authors from the same deposits in the near future, and there are also many fossil remains of insects belonging to other groups that are also awaiting description,” the authors wrote. Ta.
