Scientists have uncovered a remarkable assortment of insects that date back 112 million years, encased in amber from Ecuador. This discovery offers an unprecedented glimpse into a prehistoric forest ecosystem from the dinosaur era and marks the first record of South American amber with preserved insects.
The insect specimens were extracted from amber pieces unearthed at the Genoveva quarry in Ecuador. Formed from ancient tree resin, this amber preserved minute organisms with exquisite detail, effectively capturing a snapshot of an ancient environment.
This finding is particularly noteworthy because amber deposits containing terrestrial fossils are common in many regions worldwide but had been rare in South America’s fossil records until now. Published in Communications Earth & Environment, the study fills a crucial gap and offers new perspectives on the biodiversity of Gondwana, the prehistoric southern supercontinent.
Researchers also emphasize that these fossils shed light on the forest environments during a transformative period in Earth’s history over 100 million years ago.
Remarkably Preserved Insects from the Cretaceous Period
Examining 60 amber samples from the Ecuador site, scientists identified 21 distinct fossilized organisms, known as bioinclusions, trapped within the resin. Flies made up more than half of these finds.
Among the discoveries was a possible new species of Microphorites, an extinct fly genus recognized only from amber fossils. The researchers also detected a beetle, springtail, caddisfly, spider web fragments, and various parasitic insects.
Two wasps exhibiting parasitoid behavior—laying eggs inside other insects—were preserved, offering important clues about ancient ecological relationships. Additionally, a male midge from a blood-feeding fly group was recovered. The project’s lead researcher, Xavier Delclòs from the University of Barcelona, described the extensive quantity of amber at the location as surprising.
“We never expected to find such a rich deposit, with thousands of amber pieces within a layer just 70 centimetres thick. Seeing so much amber in situ was truly thrilling, and it’s much richer than any other known Cretaceous amber deposit in the northern hemisphere.”
The Ancient South American Landscape
The fossilized insects reveal more than their species—they provide insight into the environment they inhabited. One key find, the caddisfly, whose larvae develop in aquatic settings, suggests that freshwater ecosystems like streams or ponds were nearby the resin-producing trees.
Plant fossil evidence from the same strata points to a rich vegetation landscape dominated by ferns and fern-like plants, with the presence of flowering plants and conifers as well.
The findings indicate the area was much moister than many contemporaneous South American regions. Instead of dry, open terrain, the Genoveva quarry was part of a dense, humid forest teeming with invertebrates. These moist conditions likely led to extensive production of sticky tree resin that later fossilized into amber.
Filling a Crucial Gap in South American Fossil Records
The amber dates from the Cretaceous Resinous Interval, spanning 125 to 72 million years ago, an era known for prolific amber deposits worldwide.
Most renowned Cretaceous amber sites come from Laurasia, the northern supercontinent comprising parts of modern Europe, Asia, and North America. In contrast to those sites—known for preserving everything from dinosaur feathers to ancient fungi—South America’s amber record has been much less studied, especially concerning terrestrial organisms.
“There are several reasons why amber with terrestrial bioinclusions hasn’t been found in South America until now,” Xavier said in a statement released by The Natural History Museum. “On the one hand, it’s likely that the search for amber in this continent is not as advanced as in the northern hemisphere so it may be due to limited sampling.”
This Ecuadorian amber discovery confirms that terrestrial bioinclusions did exist in the region and captures a vibrant forest ecosystem from 112 million years ago, preserving insects, ecological interactions, and remnants of a vanished world long before humans existed.
“This will give a better idea of how the region was changing as the two great southern continents, South America and Africa, began to drift apart. Studying the fauna and flora of these ancient ecosystems is essential for understanding the palaeobiogeography of many groups both living and dead,” he added.
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