The unearthing of fossilized termites captured in the midst of mating offers a remarkable glimpse into the behavior of an extinct species that inhabited the Earth around 38 million years ago. Spearheaded by Nobuaki Mizumoto, an Assistant Professor at Auburn University, an international team of researchers has unveiled their discoveries concerning this rare find of a fossilized mating pair preserved in amber. Amber, a fossilized tree resin, commonly surfaces in deposits spanning millions to tens of millions of years.
The insects, appearing to engage in a tandem run, were impeccably conserved in their mating stance within the ancient tree sap that underwent fossilization over millennia. The tandem run mating posture, a behavior observed in various insect species, including termites, entails two mating individuals maintaining head-to-abdomen contact while moving synchronously, often in a coordinated fashion.
During a tandem run, the mating duo typically explores their surroundings, often seeking out an optimal nest location or a source of sustenance. This behavior holds pivotal importance for termite reproduction and the establishment of colonies.
Mizumoto underscored the significance of such discoveries, remarking, “Amber serves as one of the most detailed and vivid archives of extinct life.” Nonetheless, he cautioned about the potential for fossilization processes to distort the true nature of ancient organisms. To authenticate their findings, the team conducted laboratory experiments replicating the immobilization process using modern-day termites.
Mizumoto elucidated, “We discovered that the posture of the fossilized pair corresponds with that of trapped tandems and deviates from untrapped tandems. Hence, it is probable that the fossilized pair represents a tandem running pair, presenting the initial direct evidence of the mating behavior of extinct termites.”
Post Your Comments