SUPERB SCORPION AND MITE IN AMBER. ...

Description

SUPERB SCORPION AND MITE IN AMBER
Scorpiones and Acariformes
Oligocene
La Bucera Mine, Dominican Republic
This spectacular nugget shows just why the Dominican Republic is famed for its amber deposits, and for the rare instances of insect and animal inclusions. Sticky tree resin hardens over millions of years to become the lovely golden amber, and any creature trapped in the ooze is imprisoned for all eternity. Such instances are rare and most are mites or other tiny bugs; the present nugget contains an excellent Velvet Mite, perfectly visible down to the tiny body hairs. But the real point of interest in this specimen is an extremely rare, large and spectacular scorpion. The well-preserved scorpion is clearly visible and poised in attack mood with extended claws and curled metasoma (tail) terminating in a wicked-looking telson (barb). Also perfectly visible are the creature's pectine combs, V-shaped sense organs and chemoreceptors on the underside of the body unique to the scorpion, with which it sweeps the ground for texture and suitability for depositing spermatophore during the reproductive process. With various pieces of floral debris, the nugget has been polished into an oval cabochon and measures 1 3/8 x 7/8 x ½ inches - a truly world-class specimen.

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