[Explanation] Cai Chenyang, a researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and others have discovered an extremely rare short-winged flower beetle in Burmese amber about 99 million years ago in the mid-Cretaceous period. In this amber fossil The researchers also found pollen and pollen clusters of higher angiosperms, as well as two beetle dung composed of large amounts of pollen, which provided direct evidence for the Cretaceous beetles to eat pollen.
On April 12th, Cai Chenyang, a team member and researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, shared the results of this research with the media.
[Concurrent] Cai Chenyang, researcher, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
We have 25,000 amber specimens, from which we found a beetle fossil. During the cutting and polishing study, we found pollen of angiosperms. On the side of the insect body, less than one millimeter, we found the feces of two beetles.
[Explanation] The research team systematically collected and studied a large number of Burmese amber insect fossils, and initially revealed that since the "Cretaceous Land Revolution", angiosperms have gradually replaced gymnosperms and dominated the pollination relationship between insects and plants in the process of land.
[Concurrent] Cai Chenyang, researcher, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
After microscopic observation, we found that the dung is actually composed of the same pollen. Based on the beetle's form, including the pollen and dung next to the beetle, we can speculate that the beetle should be pollinating the true dicotyledonous plant. This relationship has been from 100 million years The past continues to this day.
[Explanation] Cai Chenyang said that beetles are the most diverse, widely distributed, and adaptable insects in nature, with a long evolutionary history.
This time, they analyzed this extremely rare and exquisitely preserved beetle fossil and determined that the beetle belongs to the new genus "new pink beetle" of the short-winged flower beetle. They are mainly distributed in temperate and subtropical regions, with larvae and adults. Eat flowers for a living.
[Concurrent] Cai Chenyang, researcher, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
The pollen shell (eaten by beetles) is relatively hard. After the nutrients inside may be absorbed by the beetles, it will produce feces. This feces is still composed of pollen, and its (pollen) form is still very well preserved. The pollen it carries and the pollen clusters next to it have the same shape, which is a three-groove-shaped pollen.
It proved that this beetle directly pollinated true dicotyledonous plants 100 million years ago.
[Explanation] Cai Chenyang said that the first discovery of beetle dung fossils in amber is of great significance.
[Concurrent] Cai Chenyang, researcher, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
It provides direct evidence for beetles to pollinate angiosperms, reveals the diversity of beetle pollinators at that time, and the last significance is to provide important evidence for the co-evolution of beetles and angiosperms.
[Explanation] It is reported that the relevant results will be published online in the form of a long article in the top journal of botany "Nature-Plants" on April 12, 2021.
Reporter Ge Yong reports from Nanjing, Jiangsu
Editor in charge: [Li Yuxin]