EXTREMELY RARE SCORPION AND VELVET MITE IN AMBER. ...

Description

EXTREMELY RARE SCORPION AND VELVET MITE IN AMBER
Scorpiones, Buthidae family
Oligocene
La Bucara Mine, near Santiago, Dominican Republic
This is a superb, museum-quality Amber nugget containing the perfectly preserved, complete and fully articulated body of a small Scorpion. Recently unearthed at La Bucara, the fearsome arachnid is frozen in its classic attack position, with claws thrust forward and its tail curled up behind. At just over ½ inch long, the detail to the body is exquisite, even including some color. Also present are the mysterious pectine structures, which are found on the ventral side, immaculately preserved and forming a feathery V shape between the legs on the second abdominal section. These are sense organs and chemo receptors unique to the Scorpion, with which he sweeps the ground for texture and suitability for depositing spermatophore during the reproductive process. They are so delicate that even in Amber specimens they are frequently not preserved, making this a first-class example. Suspended close to the Scorpion is also a large and superb Velvet Mite, likewise perfectly preserved right down to its fine body hairs and coloring, approximately ⅛ inch long. The nugget otherwise contains some small floral debris and a natural interior plane, amidst large areas of complete crystal clarity. It has been brought to a high polished finish and measures 1⅜ inches long, with a lovely golden color throughout.

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