99-Million-Year-Old Amber Preserves Earliest-Known Mosquito Larva
A new fossil found in a piece of amber from Myanmar represents the first mosquito larva preserved in amber and the first immature mosquito from the Mesozoic Era.
The discovery, named as a new genus and species Cretosabethes primaevus, provides strong support for the Jurassic origin of the mosquito family Culicidae.
The larval morphology has remained relatively conserved for at least the past 99 million years.
Mosquitoes comprise a large group of insects, with over 3,727 living species, playing a significant role in ecosystems, human history, and human and veterinary health.
Currently, 31 fossil species of mosquitoes are recognized, with ancient mosquitoes being similar to living species.
Author's summary: Fossil discovery sheds light on mosquito evolution.