The reporter learned from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on the 27th that Chinese, Czech and British paleontologists recently found a primitive firefly ancestor in Myanmar amber 100 million years ago: chalk fluorescent fireflies (Cretophengodidae) insects. Unlike most fireflies today, which glow for courtship, this firefly "ancestor" glow may be for defense and self-preservation.
Cai Chenyang, an associate researcher at the Institute of Southern Antiquities of the Chinese Academy of Sciences who led the research, introduced that the scientific research team studied more than 20,000 amber fossils and found a well-preserved male specimen of the firefly "Old Ancestor" from it. This ancient insect body is about 7 mm long and has a pair of long, branched antennae at the front. Compared with the fireflies of similar taxa today, it has larger eyes, a more forwarded head, and a softer body. More specifically, the glowing part of the firefly is now located at the end of the abdomen, while the glowing part of this ancient insect is even more advanced, located at the front of the abdomen.
"By comparing fireflies with similar groups of fireflies in modern times, we speculate that these fireflies 'ancestors' glowed not for courtship, but to fend off predators such as ants, frogs, and early birds." Cai Chenyang said.
The relevant research results have been published in the Journal of the Biology Branch of the Royal Society in the United Kingdom.
(Picture is an infographic)
Source: Xinhua Net
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