Amazon rainforest has always been known as a place full of biodiversity and natural wonders. Now, scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery that sheds new light on its ancient past. For the first time in South America, researchers have found prehistoric insects preserved in amber, providing rare insights into life from more than 100 million years ago.
A Rare Glimpse into Prehistoric Life
The discovery was made in a sandstone quarry in Ecuador, near the edge of what is today the Amazon basin. According to a study published in Communications Earth and Environment, the amber samples are about 112 million years old, dating back to the Cretaceous period when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth.
Fabiany Herrera, curator of fossil plants at the Field Museum in Chicago and co-author of the study, explained that these findings open a new chapter in understanding the ancient Amazon rainforest. The preserved insects include beetles, flies, ants, and wasps—organisms that played a vital role in the early interaction between plants and pollinators.
Why This Discovery Is Unique
Most known amber deposits from the past 130 million years have been located in the Northern Hemisphere. Scientists have long considered it a mystery that little evidence was found in southern regions, which once formed part of the supercontinent Gondwana.
David Grimaldi, an entomologist at the American Museum of Natural History, who was not directly involved in the research, noted that the Ecuadorian amber marks an important breakthrough. It is the first time ancient insects in fossilized resin have been confirmed in South America.
Ricardo Pérez-de la Fuente, a paleoentomologist at Oxford University Museum of Natural History, added that amber is like “a little window into the past.” By examining these preserved insects, researchers can better understand how early flowering plants and pollinating insects evolved together.
What the Amber Revealed
The fragments of amber not only contained insects but also pollen grains and pieces of tree leaves. These details offer valuable clues about what the Amazon rainforest looked like during the age of dinosaurs.
Herrera explained that the prehistoric forest was quite different from the lush greenery we know today. It had species of ferns and conifers, including the unusual Monkey Puzzle Tree, which no longer grows in the Amazon. “It was a different kind of forest,” he said.
A striking discovery within the amber was a fly belonging to the Dolichopodidae family, also known as long-legged flies. The specimen, along with others, helps piece together the puzzle of early insect diversity in the region.
How the Discovery Happened
The amber deposits were not completely unknown. Local geologists and miners at the Genoveva quarry in Ecuador had already noticed them. About ten years ago, study co-author Carlos Jaramillo of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute learned of their existence through geology notes.
“When I visited, I realized this place is amazing,” Jaramillo recalled. He was struck by the abundance of amber visible in the quarry, especially since it was more exposed than it would have been under thick vegetation.
Since then, teams of researchers have worked to carefully collect and study the amber. Their ongoing analysis continues to reveal how insects interacted with the earliest flowering plants—a relationship that shaped ecosystems across the globe.
Why It Matters for Amazon Rainforest Research
The Amazon rainforest today is the largest tropical forest in the world, home to more than 10% of known species on Earth. But its roots stretch back millions of years, and this discovery proves that the story of Amazonian biodiversity began long before humans arrived.
Grimaldi pointed out that amber tends to preserve very small organisms, making it a unique resource for studying tiny creatures that would otherwise be lost in the fossil record. These insects likely played a role in plant pollination, helping flowering plants spread—a partnership that continues to define ecosystems today.
“This was the time when the relationship between flowering plants and insects got started,” Pérez-de la Fuente emphasized. “And that turned out to be one of the most successful partnerships in nature.”
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Key Facts About the Discovery
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location of Discovery | Sandstone quarry in Ecuador (Genoveva quarry, near the Amazon basin) |
| Age of Amber | Approximately 112 million years (Cretaceous period) |
| Contents Found | Insects (flies, ants, beetles, wasps), pollen, and leaves |
| Importance | First record of prehistoric insects in amber from South America |
| Main Researchers | Fabiany Herrera, Carlos Jaramillo, and international team |
| Significance | Provides insights into the early evolution of the Amazon rainforest and plant-insect interactions |
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A Window into Evolution
The discovery highlights how the Amazon rainforest has transformed over millions of years. From forests dominated by ferns and conifers during the dinosaur era, it gradually evolved into the dense tropical paradise we know today.
By studying amber, scientists can explore how early insect species adapted, survived, and influenced the rise of flowering plants. These findings are not just about the past—they also help us understand the resilience and vulnerabilities of the rainforest today.
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Conclusion
Researchers are continuing their work on the amber samples. Each fragment holds the possibility of revealing new species or ecological interactions that shaped the ancient forest. Their goal is to reconstruct a more detailed picture of how the Amazon rainforest ecosystem began and evolved.
This discovery is more than just a scientific milestone—it is a reminder of the delicate ties between plants, insects, and ecosystems. The partnership that began over 100 million years ago still supports life in the Amazon today. Protecting this natural wonder ensures that its ancient legacy continues into the future.
