Burmite with Mite Inclusions. Burmite. Cretaceous. Hukawng Valley, Myitkyina District, Kachin State, Myanmar. ...

Description

Burmite with Mite Inclusions
Burmite
Cretaceous
Hukawng Valley, Myitkyina District, Kachin State, Myanmar
0.96 x 0.69 x 0.43 inches (2.45 x 1.75 x 1.08 cm)

This drop-shaped dollop of Burmite Amber weighing 2.78 grams contains a small world of unusual inclusions, most of them tiny. The central feature is a tetrad of Mesostigmatid mites, also known as predatory mites. These are spider-like mites that live out in the open and prey actively, as compared to most mites, which are usually scavengers, or prey upon much more sedentary animals. What really sets this piece apart, though, are the additional inclusions, a true bug, two beetles, two roach nymphs, and a beetle larva, for a complete and compelling ecological scene. This is an excellent representation of a Cretaceous menagerie perfect for any collector.

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