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Of the early Eocene amber deposits known across the world, Belgian amber has been mostly absent from the relevant literature. We reinvestigated amber held in the palaeobotanical collection of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, which derived from three localities in Belgium that originated from two geographical areas (Leval-Trahegnies and Orp-le-Grand). Using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy we show the close chemical relationship of Belgian amber to the early Eocene Oise amber from the Paris Basin, and highlight the potential effect of weathering on the amber chemistry. The amber derives from a very similar botanical source as the Oise amber (Combretaceae or Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae), but from different coeval basins. The two Leval-Trahegnies localities provided amber that exhibit different stages of weathering (heavily fissured and crazed, darkened) and lacking any inclusions. The Orp-le-Grand locality provided the least weathered amber, with one amber piece containing two inclusions: a mite and a new genus and species of hemipteran (Cativolcus uebruum gen. et sp. nov.), and a second one that preserved the impression of insect wings pressed into the surface., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This is the first study focused on Eocene dipterans of the tribe Pseudochironomini (subfamily Chironominae, family Chironomidae), based on unique materials from Baltic amber. Two new genera and three new species: Eomicromimus gen. nov. with Eomicromimus polliciformis sp. nov. and Eomicromimus serpens sp. nov., and Eoriethia gen. nov. with Eoriethia ursipes sp. nov. are presented. The systematic position of the new taxa is discussed, and an amended key to the identification of adult males of extinct and extant Pseudochironomini genera is provided. The presented analysis of the morphology of the tribe's fossil members allowed us to verify the concepts regarding the origin/homology of male diagnostic structures crucial in defining new taxa, their phylogeny, and to consolidate the terminology used in chironomid research. A new habitual name for Chironomidae, "mime midges", is also proposed., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Zakrzewska et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

This study details the quality of preservation of amber deposits in the Eocene. Through Baltic amber crack-out studies using Synchrotron Micro-Computed Tomography and Scanning Electron Microscopy it was found that the cuticle of a specimen of leaf beetle (Crepidodera tertiotertiaria (Alticini: Galerucinae: Chrysomelidae)) is exceptionally well preserved. Spectroscopic analysis using Synchrotron Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy suggests presence of degraded [Formula: see text]-chitin in multiple areas of the cuticle, and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy supports the presence of organic preservation. This remarkable preservation is likely the result of several factors such as the favourable antimicrobial and physical shielding properties of Baltic amber as compared to other depositional media, coupled to rapid dehydration of the beetle early in its taphonomic process. We provide evidence that crack-out studies of amber inclusions, although inherently destructive of fossils, are an underutilised method for probing exceptional preservation in deep time., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Two novel compounds isolated from an amber sample from the Santonian of Piolenc (Vaucluse, SE France) were identified using nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution mass spectrometry as sulfurized analogues of diterpenic acids from the isopimaric series originating from ancient conifers possibly related to the Cupressaceae family. These two compounds are members of a diterpenoid series corresponding to early diagenetic transformation products of resin diterpenoids. They were likely formed once plant resin comes into contact with reduced sulfur species originating from bacterial sulfate reduction occurring in anaerobic settings such as mangroves or marshes. They represent the first evidence of sulfurization processes affecting plant resin prior to diagenetic transformation into amber. Given their mode of formation, these compounds may be used as indicators of sulfate-reducing processes in past depositional environments.

Heat-treated succinite modified under air, oxygen or inert gas atmosphere to improve its colour and clarity, was studied with Fourier-Transform Infrared and Raman spectroscopy, and referenced to variously altered untreated samples. For treated amber, the macroscopic observations revealed diagnostic features such as (1) the presence of discoidal " sun sparkles" inside the crumbs; (2) unusual colours (e.g. dark red) for transparent specimens; (3) mottled colour patches in "beeswax" and "dragon's blood" amber; (4) luminescence quenching; and (5) significant reduction of pine-tree resinous smell. On FTIR spectra the heat treatment of succinite is mainly marked by: (1) the intensity decrease of 2932 cm -1 band (>CH 2 and -CH 3 ), followed by the intensity increase of line at 1732 cm -1 ; (2) the shifts of the band from ν(C = O) towards lower wavenumbers (from 1735 cm -1 to 1714 cm -1 ); (3) the decrease of intensity of the band at 888 cm -1 ((=CH 2 or -CH = CH-); (4) some slight distortion of "Baltic shoulder" in the region 1100-1300 cm -1 . The Principal Component Analysis applied to FTIR spectra enabled to distinguish not only untreated amber from treated one, but also recognize the modifications made under oxygen conditions from the ones in an inert gas. On RS spectra of the treated Baltic amber, the heat modifications are indicated by: (1) slight value increase of the relative intensity ratio I 1650/1445 compared to untreated succinite; (2) the shift of bands near 1650 (C = C) and 1445 cm -1 (CH 2 , CH 3 ) towards higher wavenumbers., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fossilized tree resin, or amber, commonly contains fossils of animals, plants and microorganisms. These inclusions have generally been interpreted as hollow moulds or mummified remains coated or filled with carbonaceous material. Here, we provide the first report of calcified and silicified insects in amber from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin (Burmese) amber. Data from light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive and wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX and WDX), X-ray micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) and Raman spectroscopy show that these Kachin fossils owe their preservation to multiple diagenetic mineralization processes. The labile tissues (e.g. eyes, wings and trachea) mainly consist of calcite, chalcedony and quartz with minor amounts of carbonaceous material, pyrite, iron oxide and phyllosilicate minerals. Calcite, quartz and chalcedony also occur in cracks as void-filling cements, indicating that the minerals formed from chemical species that entered the fossil inclusions through cracks in the resin. The results demonstrate that resin and amber are not always closed systems. Fluids (e.g. sediment pore water, diagenetic fluid and ground water) at different burial stages have chances to interact with amber throughout its geological history and affect the preservational quality and morphological fidelity of its fossil inclusions., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Fossilized plant resins, or ambers, offer a unique paleontological window into the history of life. A natural polymer, amber can preserve aspects of ancient environments, including whole organisms, for tens or even hundreds of millions of years. While most amber research involves imaging with visual light, other spectra are increasingly used to characterize both organismal inclusions as well as amber matrix. Terahertz (THz) radiation, which occupies the electromagnetic band between microwave and infrared light wavelengths, is non-ionizing and frequently used in polymer spectroscopy. Here, we evaluate the utility of amber terahertz spectroscopy in a comparative setting for the first time by analyzing the terahertz optical properties of samples from 10 fossil deposits ranging in age from the Miocene to the Early Cretaceous. We recover no clear relationships between amber age or botanical source and terahertz permittivity; however, we do find apparent deposit-specific permittivity among transparent amber samples. By comparing the suitability of multiple permittivity models across sample data we find that models with a distribution of dielectric relaxation times best describe the spectral permittivity of amber. We also demonstrate a process for imaging amber inclusions using terahertz transmission and find that terahertz spectroscopy can be used to identify some synthetic amber forgeries., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Amber is a type of fossil tree resin with several bioactive properties and has been traced in traditional medicines used in Russia and China. However, its anti-inflammatory activities are poorly characterized. Here, the anti-inflammatory effects of the extract of amber mined from Kaliningrad, Russia was investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. The effect of the amber extract on cell viability was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. Further, its effects on the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), NO, and inflammatory cytokines were assessed by 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining, Griess test, and cytokine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, respectively. Western blotting and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis were performed to assess the mRNA and protein expression levels of the inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) interleukin-6 (IL-6), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The translocation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 subunit was observed by immunofluorescent staining. Amber extract negatively regulated the LPS-induced differentiation of RAW 264.7 cells to dendritic-like cells and reduced the LPS-induced increase in ROS and NO levels. It also reduced the level of mRNA and protein expressions of TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages, in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, amber extract suppressed the nuclear translocation of the NF-κB p65 subunit. These findings suggest that the potent anti-inflammatory effect of the amber extract is mediated by the inhibition of the NF-κB p65 signaling pathway. Collectively, this study renders amber extract as a potential pharmacological alternative to treat inflammation-related diseases., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Amber-the fossilized resin of trees-is rich in terpenoids and rosin acids. The physiological effects, such as antipyretic, sedative, and anti-inflammatory, were used in traditional medicine. This study aims to clarify the physiological effects of amber extract on lipid metabolism in mouse 3T3-L1 cells. Mature adipocytes are used to evaluate the effect of amber extract on lipolysis by measuring the triglyceride content, glucose uptake, glycerol release, and lipolysis-related gene expression. Our results show that the amount of triacylglycerol, which is stored in lipid droplets in mature adipocytes, decreases following 96 h of treatment with different concentrations of amber extract. Amber extract treatment also decreases glucose uptake and increases the release of glycerol from the cells. Moreover, amber extract increases the expression of lipolysis-related genes encoding perilipin and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and promotes the activity of HSL (by increasing HSL phosphorylation). Amber extract treatment also regulates the expression of other adipocytokines in mature adipocytes, such as adiponectin and leptin. Overall, our results indicate that amber extract increases the expression of lipolysis-related genes to induce lipolysis in 3T3-L1 cells, highlighting its potential for treating various obesity-related diseases.

The dating of organic findings is a fundamental task for many scientific fields. Radiocarbon dating is currently the most commonly used method. For wood, dendrochronology is another state-of-the-art method. Both methods suffer from systematic restrictions, leading to samples that have not yet been able to be dated. Molecular changes over time are reported for many materials under different preservation conditions. Many of them are intrinsically monotonous. These monotonous molecular decay (MD) patterns can be understood as clocks that start at the time when a given molecule was formed. Factors that influence these clocks include input material composition and preservation conditions. Different wood species, degrees of pyrolysis, and pretreatments lead to different prediction models. Preservation conditions might change the speed of a given clock and lead to different prediction models. Currently published models for predicting the age of wood, paper, and parchment depend on infrared spectroscopy. In contrast to radiocarbon dating, dating via MD does not comprise a single methodology. Some clocks may deliver less precise results than the others. Ultimately, developing a completely different, new dating strategy-such as MD dating-will help to bring to light a treasure trove of information hidden in the darkness of organic findings., (© 2021 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of New York Academy of Sciences.)

Insects entombed in copal, the sub-fossilized resin precursor of amber, represent a potential source of genetic data for extinct and extant, but endangered or elusive, species. Despite several studies demonstrated that it is not possible to recover endogenous DNA from insect inclusions, the preservation of biomolecules in fossilized resins samples is still under debate. In this study, we tested the possibility of obtaining endogenous ancient DNA (aDNA) molecules from insects preserved in copal, applying experimental protocols specifically designed for aDNA recovery. We were able to extract endogenous DNA molecules from one of the two samples analyzed, and to identify the taxonomic status of the specimen. Even if the sample was found well protected from external contaminants, the recovered DNA was low concentrated and extremely degraded, compared to the sample age. We conclude that it is possible to obtain genomic data from resin-entombed organisms, although we discourage aDNA analysis because of the destructive method of extraction protocols and the non-reproducibility of the results.

Past claims have been made for fossil DNA recovery from various organisms (bacteria, plants, insects and mammals, including humans) dating back in time from thousands to several million years BP. However, many of these recoveries, especially those described from million-year-old amber (fossil resin), have faced criticism as being the result of modern environmental contamination and for lack of reproducibility. Using modern genomic techniques, DNA can be obtained with confidence from a variety of substrates (e.g. bones, teeth, gum, museum specimens and fossil insects) of different ages, albeit always less than one million years BP, and results can also be obtained from much older materials using palaeoproteomics. Nevertheless, new attempts to determine if ancient DNA (aDNA) is present in insects preserved in 40 000-year old sub-fossilised resin, the precursor of amber, have been unsuccessful or not well documented. Resin-embedded specimens are therefore regarded as unsuitable for genetic studies. However, we demonstrate here, for the first time, that although a labile molecule, DNA is still present in platypodine beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) embedded in six-year-old and two-year-old resin pieces from Hymenaea verrucosa (Angiospermae: Fabaceae) collected in Madagascar. We describe an optimised method which meets all the requirements and precautions for aDNA experiments for our purpose: to explore the DNA preservation limits in resin. Our objective is far from starting an uncontrolled search for aDNA in amber as it was in the past, but to start resolving basic aspects from the DNA preservation in resin and search from the most modern samples to the ancient ones, step by step. We conclude that it is therefore possible to study genomics from resin-embedded organisms, although the time limits remain to be determined., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Fossilized remains preserved in amber provide abundant data on the paleobiota surrounding the resin-producing plants, but relatively scarcer information about the resinous sources themselves. Here, dark pseudoinclusions in kidney-shaped amber pieces from the Early Cretaceous (Albian) amber from Spain are studied. This type of fossilized remain, abundant in Cretaceous ambers, was first interpreted as fossilized vacuole-bearing microorganisms, but later regarded as artifactual and probably secreted by the resinous trees, although their origin remained unclear. Using complementary microscopy (light, electron, confocal), spectroscopy (infrared, micro-Raman), mass spectrometry and elemental analysis techniques, we demonstrate that the pseudoinclusions correspond to droplets of phloem sap containing amber spheroids and preserving both organic and inorganic residues consistent with degraded components from the original sap. The amber pieces containing pseudoinclusions are fossilized, resin-in-sap-in-resin double emulsions, showing banding patterns with differential content of resin-in-sap emulsion droplets. Our findings represent the first time fossilized phloem sap, 105 million years old, has been recognized and characterized, and open new lines of paleontological research with taxonomic, taphonomic, physiological and ecological implications.

Cysteines existing in the deprotonated thiolate form or having a tendency to become deprotonated are important players in enzymatic and cellular redox functions and frequently exploited in covalent drug design; however, most computational studies assume cysteines as protonated. Thus, developing an efficient tool that can make accurate and reliable predictions of cysteine protonation states is timely needed. We recently implemented a generalized Born (GB) based continuous constant pH molecular dynamics (CpHMD) method in Amber for protein p K a calculations on CPUs and GPUs. Here we benchmark the performance of GB-CpHMD for predictions of cysteine p K a 's and reactivities using a data set of 24 proteins with both down- and upshifted cysteine p K a 's. We found that 10 ns single-pH or 4 ns replica-exchange CpHMD titrations gave root-mean-square errors of 1.2-1.3 and correlation coefficients of 0.8-0.9 with respect to experiment. The accuracy of predicting thiolates or reactive cysteines at physiological pH with single-pH titrations is 86 or 81% with a precision of 100 or 90%, respectively. This performance well surpasses the traditional structure-based methods, particularly a widely used empirical p K a tool that gives an accuracy less than 50%. We discuss simulation convergence, dependence on starting structures, common determinants of the p K a downshifts and upshifts, and the origin of the discrepancies from the structure-based calculations. Our work suggests that CpHMD titrations can be performed on a desktop computer equipped with a single GPU card to predict cysteine protonation states for a variety of applications, from understanding biological functions to covalent drug design.

The loss of biodiversity during the Anthropocene is a constant topic of discussion, especially in the top biodiversity hotspots, such as Madagascar. In this regard, the study of preserved organisms through time, like those included in "Madagascar copal", is of relevance. "Madagascar copal" originated from the leguminous tree Hymenaea verrucosa, which produced and produces resin abundantly. In the last 20 years, interest has focused on the scientific study of its biological inclusions, mainly arthropods, described in dozens of publications. The age and origin of the deposits of "Madagascar copal" have not yet been resolved. Our objectives are to determine its age and geographical origin, and thus increase its scientific value as a source of biological/palaeobiological information. Although Hymenaea was established in Madagascar during the Miocene, we did not find geological deposits of copal or amber in the island. It is plausible that the evolution of those deposits was negatively conditioned by the type of soil, by the climate, and by the development of soil/litter microorganisms, which inhibit preservation of the resin pieces in the litter and subsoil over 300 years. Our results indicate that "Madagascar copal" is a Recent resin, up to a few hundred years old, that originated from Hymenaea trees growing in the lowland coastal forests, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. The included and preserved biota is representative of that ecosystem today and during historical times. Inclusions in this Recent resin do not have the palaeontological significance that has been mistakenly attributed to them, but they do have relevant implications for studies regarding Anthropocene biodiversity loss in this hottest hotspot., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Kuji amber is fossilized tree resin of the Late Cretaceous in Japan. In this study, new biological activities of ethanol extract of Kuji amber (EtOH ext.) and supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extract of Kuji amber (scCO 2 ext.) were examined. Both EtOH ext. and scCO 2 ext. inhibited melanin production in B16 mouse melanoma cells and promoted collagen production in human skin fibroblast SF-TY cells. The scCO 2 ext. had more potent activity than that of EtOH ext. and may depend on the efficiency of the extraction. The main new biologically active compound in Kuji amber, kujigamberol had no activities against melanin production, however, it promoted collagen production at low concentrations. A biologically active compound having a different structure, spirolactone norditerpenoid, showed both the inhibition activity against melanin production and the promotion activity of collagen production in a dose dependent manner. EtOH ext. and scCO 2 ext., which include both kujigamberol and spirolactone norditerpenoid, have not only anti-allergy activity, but also inhibit melanin production and promote collagen production.

Hadrosaurian dinosaurs were abundant in the Late Cretaceous of North America, but their habitats remain poorly understood. Cretaceous amber is also relatively abundant, yet it is seldom found in direct stratigraphic association with dinosaur remains. Here we describe an unusually large amber specimen attached to a Prosaurolophus jaw, which reveals details of the contemporaneous paleoforest and entomofauna. Fourier-transform Infrared spectroscopy and stable isotope composition (H and C) suggest the amber formed from resins exuded by cupressaceous conifers occupying a coastal plain. An aphid within the amber belongs to Cretamyzidae, a Cretaceous family suggested to bark-feed on conifers. Distinct tooth row impressions on the amber match the hadrosaur's alveolar bone ridges, providing some insight into the taphonomic processes that brought these remains together.

David Grimaldi introduces amber and the fossils contained therein., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

A novel labdane type diterpenoid, 15-nor-8-labden-13-ol, named kujigamberol C, was isolated from Kuji amber using a modified isolation method to increase the yield of biologically active compounds. The structure was determined using HREIMS, 1D and 2D NMR. Kujigamberol C showed growth-restoring activity against mutant yeast via Ca 2+ -signal transduction.

The in situ two-dimensional (2D) and 3D imaging of the chemical speciation of organic fossils is an unsolved problem in paleontology and cultural heritage. Here, we use x-ray Raman scattering (XRS)-based imaging at the carbon K-edge to form 2D and 3D images of the carbon chemistry in two exceptionally preserved specimens, a fossil plant dating back from the Carboniferous and an ancient insect entrapped in 53-million-year-old amber. The 2D XRS imaging of the plant fossil reveals a homogeneous chemical composition with micrometric "pockets" of preservation, likely inherited from its geological history. The 3D XRS imaging of the insect cuticle displays an exceptionally well preserved remaining chemical signature typical of polysaccharides such as chitin around a largely hollowed-out inclusion. Our results open up new perspectives for in situ chemical speciation imaging of fossilized organic materials, with the potential to enhance our understanding of organic specimens and their paleobiology.

Background: Baltic amber teething necklaces have been popularized as a safe and natural alternative to conventional or pharmacological medicines for the management of teething pain. However, claims made by retailers regarding the efficacy and mechanism of action of these necklaces lack scientific or clinical basis. The claim most closely resembling science is the assertion that succinic acid will leach out of the beads and through the skin of the wearer and carry out anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. The objective of the current research is to scientifically assess this claim., Methods: Beads from necklaces were powdered for identification by infrared spectroscopy, and dissolved in sulfuric acid for quantification of succinic acid using HPLC. Succinic acid release from beads was assessed by long-term submersion of amber beads (separated according to light, medium and dark brown colour) in solvents relevant to human skin conditions. The potential for succinic acid to have anti-inflammatory effects was assessed by measuring the release of inflammatory cytokines IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-8 and TNFα, and the inflammatory messenger PGE2, from THP-1 human macrophages after treatment with succinic acid and LPS., Results: Amber teething necklaces were positively identified as Baltic amber, by comparison of the beads' infrared spectrum to the literature, and by their succinic acid content (1.5 mg per bead; 1.44% w/w). However, whole amber beads submerged in octanol or pH 5.5 phosphate buffered saline did not release any measurable succinic acid, except for the light-coloured beads in octanol which broke into tiny fragments. Additionally, treatment of macrophages with succinic acid did not reduce the release of any inflammatory cytokines measured, and displayed toxicity to the cells at high concentrations., Conclusions: While amber teething necklaces are genuine Baltic amber, we have found no evidence to suggest that the purported active ingredient succinic acid could be released from the beads into human skin. Additionally, we found no evidence to suggest that succinic acid has anti-inflammatory properties.

Amber is fossilized tree resin, and inclusions usually comprise terrestrial and, rarely, aquatic organisms. Marine fossils are extremely rare in Cretaceous and Cenozoic ambers. Here, we report a record of an ammonite with marine gastropods, intertidal isopods, and diverse terrestrial arthropods as syninclusions in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. We used X-ray-microcomputed tomography (CT) to obtain high-resolution 3D images of the ammonite, including its sutures, which are diagnostically important for ammonites. The ammonite is a juvenile Puzosia ( Bhimaites ) and provides supporting evidence for a Late Albian-Early Cenomanian age of the amber. There is a diverse assemblage (at least 40 individuals) of arthropods in this amber sample from both terrestrial and marine habitats, including Isopoda, Acari (mites), Araneae (spiders), Diplopoda (millipedes), and representatives of the insect orders Blattodea (cockroaches), Coleoptera (beetles), Diptera (true flies), and Hymenoptera (wasps). The incomplete preservation and lack of soft body of the ammonite and marine gastropods suggest that they were dead and underwent abrasion on the seashore before entombment. It is most likely that the resin fell to the beach from coastal trees, picking up terrestrial arthropods and beach shells and, exceptionally, surviving the high-energy beach environment to be preserved as amber. Our findings not only represent a record of an ammonite in amber but also provide insights into the taphonomy of amber and the paleoecology of Cretaceous amber forests., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2019 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.)

Ancient protein analysis is a rapidly developing field of research. Proteins ranging in age from the Quaternary to Jurassic are being used to answer questions about phylogeny, evolution, and extinction. However, these analyses are sometimes contentious, and focus primarily on large vertebrates in sedimentary fossilisation environments; there are few studies of protein preservation in fossils in amber. Here we show exceptionally slow racemisation rates during thermal degradation experiments of resin enclosed feathers, relative to previous thermal degradation experiments of ostrich eggshell, coral skeleton, and limpet shell. We also recover amino acids from two specimens of fossil feathers in amber. The amino acid compositions are broadly similar to those of degraded feathers, but concentrations are very low, suggesting that much of the original protein has been degraded and lost. High levels of racemisation in more apolar, slowly racemising amino acids suggest that some of the amino acids were ancient and therefore original. Our findings indicate that the unique fossilisation environment inside amber shows potential for the recovery of ancient amino acids and proteins.

Two kinds of biologically active compounds were isolated from the MeOH extract of the Early Cretaceous Burmese amber [99 million years ago (Ma)], which is older than the K-Pg boundary (65 Ma). These compounds had inhibitory activity against the hypersensitive mutant yeast strain (zds1∆ erg3∆ pdr1∆ pdr3∆) with respect to Ca 2+ signal transduction. They were identified as 16,17-bisnordehydroabietic acid (1) and 16,17-bisnorcallitrisic acid (2), respectively, on the basis of spectral analyses including HREIMS, 1D, and 2D NMR. Both have faint growth restoring activities around the clear inhibition zone against the mutant yeast on the 0.31-0.16 μg/spot. This is the first report of direct structural elucidation of 1 and 2 and the biologically active compounds derived from Burmese amber., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A different type of biologically active compound from Kuji amber (Late Cretaceous, Japan) before the K-Pg boundary [65 million years ago (Ma)] was isolated based on the growth-restoring activity of a mutant yeast involving Ca 2+ signal transduction. It was identified as a spirolactone norditerpenoid, (4R*, 5S*, 8R*, 9R*, 10S*)-14,15,16,19-tetranor-labdan-13,9-olide (1) from spectral analyses with high-resolution electron ionization mass spectrometry (HREIMS), 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Although the planar structure of 1 is known as an artificial derivative from marrubiin, it was isolated as a natural product from Kuji amber and its structure was elucidated for the first time. It had a growth-restoring activity against the mutant yeast through the direct or indirect inhibition of calcineurin activity [protein phosphatase, Mg 2+ /Mn 2+ -dependent 1A (PPM1A) activation]. Furthermore, the compound had potent inhibitory effect against the degranulation of rat basophilic leukemia 2H3 (RBL-2H3) cells., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An accurate energy function is an essential component of biomolecular structural modeling and design. The comparison of differently derived energy functions enables analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each energy function and provides independent benchmarks for evaluating improvements within a given energy function. We compared the molecular mechanics Amber empirical energy function to two versions of the Rosetta energy function (talaris2014 and REF2015) in decoy discrimination and loop modeling tests. In decoy discrimination tests, both Rosetta and Amber (ff14SBonlySC) energy functions performed well in scoring the native state as the lowest energy conformation in many cases, but several false minima were found in with both talaris2014 and Amber ff14SBonlySC scoring functions. The current default version of the Rosetta energy function, REF2015, which is parametrized on both small molecule and macromolecular benchmark sets to improve decoy discrimination, performs significantly better than talaris2014, highlighting the improvements made to the Rosetta scoring approach. There are no cases in Rosetta REF2015, and 8/140 cases in Amber, where a false minimum is found that is absent in the alternative landscape. In loop modeling tests, Amber ff14SBonlySC and REF2015 perform equivalently, although false minima are detected in several cases for both. The balance between dihedral, electrostatic, solvation and hydrogen bonding scores contribute to the existence of false minima. To take advantage of the semi-orthogonal nature of the Rosetta and Amber energy functions, we developed a technique that combines Amber and Rosetta conformational rankings to predict the most near-native model for a given protein. This algorithm improves upon predictions from either energy function in isolation and should aid in model selection for structure evaluation and loop modeling tasks.

Diverse organisms protect and camouflage themselves using varied materials from their environment. This adaptation and associated behaviours (debris-carrying) are well known in modern green lacewing larvae (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), mostly due to the widespread use of these immature insects in pest control. However, the evolutionary history of this successful strategy and related morphological adaptations in the lineage are still far from being understood. Here we describe a novel green lacewing larva, Tyruschrysa melqart gen. et sp. nov., from Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber, carrying a preserved debris packet composed by soil particles entangled among specialised setae of extremely elongate tubular tubercles. The new morphotype has features related to the debris-carrying habit that are unknown from extant or extinct green lacewings, namely a high number of tubular tubercle pairs on the abdomen and tubular tubercle setae with mushroom-shaped endings that acted as anchoring points for debris. The current finding expands the diversity of exogenous materials used by green lacewing larvae in deep time, and represents the earliest direct evidence of debris-carrying in the lineage described to date. The debris-carrying larval habit likely played a significant role during the initial phases of diversification of green lacewings.

Provenancing exotic raw materials and reconstructing the nature and routes of exchange is a major concern of prehistoric archaeology. Amber has long been recognised as a key commodity of prehistoric exchange networks in Europe. However, most science-based studies so far have been localised and based on few samples, hence making it difficult to observe broad geographic and chronological trends. This paper concentrates on the nature, distribution and circulation of amber in prehistoric Iberia. We present new standardised FTIR analyses of 22 archaeological and geological samples from a large number of contexts across Iberia, as well as a wide scale review of all the legacy data available. On the basis of a considerable body of data, we can confirm the use of local amber resources in the Northern area of the Iberian Peninsula from the Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age; we push back the arrival of Sicilian amber to at least the 4th Millennium BC, and we trace the appearance of Baltic amber since the last quarter of the 2nd Millennium BC, progressively replacing Sicilian simetite. Integrating these data with other bodies of archaeological information, we suggest that the arrival of Baltic amber was part of broader Mediterranean exchange networks, and not necessarily the result of direct trade with the North. From a methodological perspective, thanks to the analyses carried out on both the vitreous core and the weathered surfaces of objects made of Sicilian simetite, we define the characteristic FTIR bands that allow the identification of Sicilian amber even in highly deteriorated archaeological samples., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The avian tail played a critical role in the evolutionary transition from long- to short-tailed birds, yet its ontogeny in extant birds has largely been ignored. This deficit has hampered efforts to effectively identify intermediate species during the Mesozoic transition to short tails. Here we show that fusion of distal vertebrae into the pygostyle structure does not occur in extant birds until near skeletal maturity, and mineralization of vertebral processes also occurs long after hatching. Evidence for post-hatching pygostyle formation is also demonstrated in two Cretaceous specimens, a juvenile enantiornithine and a subadult basal ornithuromorph. These findings call for reinterpretations of Zhongornis haoae, a Cretaceous bird hypothesized to be an intermediate in the long- to short-tailed bird transition, and of the recently discovered coelurosaur tail embedded in amber. Zhongornis, as a juvenile, may not yet have formed a pygostyle, and the amber-embedded tail specimen is reinterpreted as possibly avian. Analyses of relative pygostyle lengths in extant and Cretaceous birds suggests the number of vertebrae incorporated into the pygostyle has varied considerably, further complicating the interpretation of potential transitional species. In addition, this analysis of avian tail development reveals the generation and loss of intervertebral discs in the pygostyle, vertebral bodies derived from different kinds of cartilage, and alternative modes of caudal vertebral process morphogenesis in birds. These findings demonstrate that avian tail ontogeny is a crucial parameter specifically for the interpretation of Mesozoic specimens, and generally for insights into vertebrae formation.

Amber is fossilized tree resin and several biologically active compounds were isolated from ambers using the growth-restoring activity of the mutant yeast [Saccharomyces cerevisiae (zds1∆ erg3∆ pdr1∆ pdr3∆)] involving Ca 2+ -signal transduction. The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-allergic effect of both the methanol extract of Kuji amber (MEKA) and its main biologically active constituent, kujigamberol (15,20-dinor-5,7,9-labdatrien-18-ol) having activity against the mutant yeast. Both MEKA and kujigamberol inhibited the degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells by stimulation of thapsigargin (Tg) (IC 50  = 15.0 μg/ml and 29.1 μM) and A23187 (IC 50  = 19.6 μg/ml and 24.9 μM) without cytotoxicity, but not by stimulation of IgE + DNP-BSA (Ag) (IC 50  > 50.0 μg/ml and 50.0 μM). However, both inhibited Ca 2+ -influx in RBL-2H3 cells by all three stimulations in a dose dependent manner. Leukotriene C 4 production in RBL-2H3 cells stimulated by A23187 was also inhibited by both through the inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation. In an ovalbumin-induced rhinitis model of guinea pigs, nasal administration of MEKA and kujigamberol inhibited nasal blockade in a dose-dependent manner and the effect was about 5 times potent than that of a steroid clinical drug, mometasone furoate. The growth-restoring activity of MEKA and kujigamberol against the mutant yeast is involved in the anti-allergic activities against cells and animals, and both are expected to be candidates for the development of new anti-allergy agents., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A podocarpatriene and a labdatriene derivative, named kujiol A [13-methyl-8,11,13-podocarpatrien-19-ol (1)] and kujigamberol B [15,20-dinor-5,7,9-labdatrien-13-ol (2)], respectively, were isolated from Kuji amber through detection with the aid of their growth-restoring activity against a mutant yeast strain ( zds1Δ erg3Δ pdr1Δ pdr3Δ), which is known to be hypersensitive with respect to Ca 2+ -signal transduction. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 are rare organic compounds from Late Cretaceous amber, and the mutant yeast used seems useful for elucidating a variety of new compounds from Kuji amber specimens, produced before the K-Pg boundary.

Fossils entombed in amber are a unique resource for reconstructing forest ecosystems, and resolving relationships of modern taxa. Such fossils are famous for their perfect, life-like appearance. However, preservation quality is vast with many sites showing only cuticular preservation, or no fossils. The taphonomic processes that control this range are largely unknown; as such, we know little about potential bias in this important record. Here we employ actualistic experiments, using, fruit flies and modern tree resin to determine whether resin type, gut microbiota, and dehydration prior to entombment affects decay. We used solid phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME GC-MS) to confirm distinct tree resin chemistry; gut microbiota of flies was modified using antibiotics and categorized though sequencing. Decay was assessed using phase contrast synchrotron tomography. Resin type demonstrates a significant control on decay rate. The composition of the gut microbiota was also influential, with minor changes in composition affecting decay rate. Dehydration prior to entombment, contrary to expectations, enhanced decay. Our analyses show that there is potential significant bias in the amber fossil record, especially between sites with different resin types where ecological completeness and preservational fidelity are likely affected.

Plants produce and release a large array of volatile organic compounds that play many ecological functions. These volatile plant metabolites serve as pollinator attractants, herbivore and pathogen repellents and protect plants from abiotic stresses. To date, the geological evolution of these organic compounds remains unknown. The preservation potential of these metabolites in the fossil record is very poor due to their low boiling points. Here we report a series of volatile sesquiterpenoids, including δ-elemene, α-copaene, β-elemene, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, germacrene D, δ-cadiene and spathunenol, from early Miocene (~17 million year) amber from eastern India. The survival of these unaltered bioterpenoids can be attributed to the existence of extraordinary taphonomic conditions conducive to the preservation of volatile biomolecules through deep time. Furthermore, the occurrence of these volatiles in the early Miocene amber suggests that the plants from this period had evolved metabolic pathways to synthesize these organic molecules to play an active role in forest ecology, especially in plant-animal interactions.

Baltic amber, adored for its beauty already in Homer's Odyssey (ca. 800 B.C.E), has its material density close to that of wide-spread plastics like polyamide, polystyrene, or acrylic. Migrations of amber stones in the sea and their massive washing ashore have been monitored by Baltic citizens for ages. Based on the collected information, we present the hypothesis on the behaviour of microplastic particles in sea coastal zone. Fresh-to-strong winds generate surface waves, currents and roll-structures, whose joint effect washes ashore from the underwater slope both amber stones and plastics - and carries them back to the sea in a few days. Analysis of underlying hydrophysical processes suggests that sea coastal zone under stormy winds plays a role of a mill for plastics, and negatively buoyant pieces seem to repeatedly migrate between beaches and underwater slopes until they are broken into small enough fragments that can be transported by currents to deeper areas and deposited out of reach of stormy waves. Direct observations on microplastics migrations are urged to prove the hypothesis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, we describe the derivation and the validation of original RESP atomic partial charges for the N, N-dimethyl-dodecylamine oxide (LDAO) surfactant. These charges, designed to be fully compatible with all the AMBER force fields, are at first tested against molecular dynamics simulations of pure LDAO micelles and with a fragment of the lipid kinase PIK4A (DI) modeled with the QUARK molecular modeling server. To model the micelle, we used two distinct AMBER force fields (i.e. Amber99SB and Lipid14) and a variety of starting conditions. We find that the micelle structural properties (such as the shape, size, the LDAO headgroup hydration, and alkyl chain conformation) slightly depend on the force field but not on the starting conditions and more importantly are in good agreement with experiments and previous simulations. We also show that the Lipid14 force field should be used instead of the Amber99SB one to better reproduce the C(sp3)C(sp3)C(sp3)C(sp3) conformation in the surfactant alkyl chain. Concerning the simulations with LDAO-DI protein, we carried out different runs at two NaCl concentrations (i.e. 0 and 300 mM) to mimic, in the latter case, the experimental conditions. We notice a small dependence of the simulation results with the LDAO parameters and the salt concentration. However, we find that in the simulations, three out of four tryptophans of the DI protein are not accessible to water in agreement with our fluorescence spectroscopy experiments reported in the paper.

Based on six relatively well-preserved specimens from Eocene Baltic amber, Crepidodera tertiotertiaria sp. nov. is described. The new species is illustrated and compared with morphologically similar extant and fossil relatives. It is the third described fossil species of Crepidodera Chevrolat. In addition to the new taxon, new fossil records of C. decolorata Nadein & Perkovsky from Baltic and Bitterfeld amber are presented. A key to species of Crepidodera described from fossil resins is provided, and a checklist of Coleoptera described from Bitterfeld amber is compiled.

A new norlabdane compound, named kujigamberol has previously been isolated from Kuji amber (but not from Baltic amber) by activity guided fractionation. However, there has been no study of biological compounds in Dominican amber. Biological activities were examined using the hypersensitive mutant yeast (zds1Δ erg3Δ pdr1Δ pdr3Δ) with respect to Ca(2+)-signal transduction, enzymes and rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-2H3 cells. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis including high resolution (HR)-EI-MS, 1D NMR and 2D NMR. Three diterpenoid compounds, 5(10)-halimen-15-oic acid (1), 3-cleroden-15-oic acid (2) and 8-labden-15-oic acid (3), which are different from the bioactive compounds in Kuji and Baltic ambers, were isolated from Dominican amber. They inhibited both calcineurin (CN) (IC50=40.0, 21.2 and 34.2μM) and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) (IC50=48.9, 43.8 and 41.1μM) which are involved in the growth restored activity against the mutant yeast. The most abundant compound 2 showed inhibitory activity against both degranulation and Ca(2+)-influx in RBL-2H3 cells. The compounds having the growth restoring activity against the mutant yeast have potential as anti-allergic compounds., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Two spongillaflies species are described and illustrated from Eocene Baltic amber: Paleosisyra minor n. sp. and Paleosisyra electrobaltica Wichard et al., 2009; the latter species was described based on a female and is now re-described in consideration of the male genitalia of two new male specimens. Extant Sisyridae comprise few species, and their fossil record is very scarce.

Among nearly 1270 inclusions of Coleoptera found in Upper Eocene Rovno amber, 69 were identified as ant-like stone beetles (Scydmaeninae); 34 were possible to unambiguously determine to the tribal level and were studied in detail. Rovnoleptochromus ableptonoides gen. & sp. n. (Mastigitae: Clidicini), Vertheia quadrisetosa gen. & sp. n. (Cephenniitae: Eutheiini), Cephennomicrus giganteus sp. n. (Cephenniitae: Cephenniini), Glaesoconnus unicus gen. & sp. n. (Scydmaenitae: Glandulariini), Rovnoscydmus frontalis gen. & sp. n. (Scydmaenitae: Glandulariini; type species of Rovnoscydmus), Rovnoscydmus microscopicus sp. n., Euconnus (incertae sedis, near Cladoconnus) palaeogenus sp. n. (Scydmaenitae: Glandulariini), and Stenichnus (s. str.) proavus sp. n. (Scydmaenitae: Glandulariini) are described. Additionally, specimens representing one undescribed species of Vertheia, one of Cephennodes, five of Cephennomicrus, one of Euconnus, one of Microscydmus are recorded, and nine specimens representing an unknown number of species of Rovnoscydmus (and two putative Rovnoscydmus), one Euconnus (and one putative Euconnus), two putative Microscydmus and one putative Scydmoraphes were found in the studied material. The composition of Scydmaeninae fauna in Rovno amber is discussed in the context of ecological preferences and distribution of extant taxa. It is concluded that subtropical and tropical taxa were present in the region where Rovno amber has formed, most notably the second genus and species of the extant tribe Clidicini known from the Eocene of Europe, and six species of the extant genus Cephennomicrus, for the first time found in the fossil record. An annotated catalog of nominal species of Scydmaeninae known in the fossil record is given.

A new genus and species of leptosaldine bugs, Leptosaldinea cobbeni gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Leptopodidae) is described and illustrated from Burmese Middle Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian) amber found in Kachin State, northern Myanmar. This is the third record of a leptosaldine bug from Burmese amber. A brief analysis of the characters and systematic relationships of Leptosaldinae is provided.

This paper describes the first species of aphid from the Lower Cretaceous Koonwarra Fossil Bed of the Gippsland Basin, southeastern Victoria, Australia. This aphid, herein named Koonwarraphis rotundafrons gen. & sp. nov., is assigned to the cosmopolitan Cretaceous superfamily Tajmyraphidoidea, which has been previously described from the Lebanese, Taimyrian, Canadian, Myanmar (Burmese), and Spanish ambers. Koonwarraphis rotundafrons is the first aphid recorded from the eastern Gondwanan landmass during the Cretaceous, and represents the only tajmyraphidoid preserved as a compression fossil, rather than as an amber inclusion. Due to the nature of the fossil's preservation, Koonwarraphis cannot be firmly placed in any of the described tajmyraphidoid families; however, all observable morphological features suggest that the genus is broadly typical of the superfamily and Cretaceous aphids in general. Koonwarraphis' shortened rostrum, a feature also seen in other tajmyraphidoids, suggests an association with the more herbaceous aspects of the Early Cretaceous Victorian flora. Considering the modern aphid preference for angiosperm plants, it is possible that this aphid was living upon the herbaceous early angiosperms recorded previously from the Koonwarra macrofloral assemblage.

A new genus and species of Ptilodactylidae, Electrolichas circumbalticus gen. et sp. nov., the first fossil representative of the subfamily Anchytarsinae, is described from Baltic amber. This Eocene beetle can be distinguished from the extant genera of Anchytarsinae by the combination of the following characters: labrum transverse, terminal segment of maxillary palps cylindrical, antennae with non-articulated rami, basal pronotal margin only very finely crenulate, lacking a median denticle, anterior margin of scutellum not excised medially, elytra not striate, tarsi not pseudotetramerous, proportional lengths: 1.5: 1.2: 1.2: 1.1: 1.5, flashy pads on apex of first tarsomere as well as on tarsomeres 2-4. A list of the extant species of Anchytarsinae is provided. Both hitherto described fossil ptilodactylid genera are briefly discussed.

The presence of uranium, with a bulk mass fraction of about 1.5 wt% and radiolytic alterations are a feature of Cenomanian amber from Křižany, at the northeastern edge of the North Bohemian Cretaceous uranium ore district. Pores and microcracks in the amber were filled with a mineral admixture, mainly in the form of Zr-Y-REE enriched uraninite. As a result of radiolytic alterations due to the presence of uranium, structural changes were observed in the Křižany amber in comparison with a reference amber from Nové Strašecí in central Bohemia; this was of similar age and botanical origin but did not contain elevated levels of uranium. Structural changes involved an increase in aromaticity due to dehydroaromatization of aliphatic cyclic hydrocarbons, loss of oxygen functional groups, an increase in the degree of polymerization, crosslinking of CC bonds, formation of a three-dimensional hydrocarbon network in the bulk organic matrix, and carbonization of the organic matrix around the uraninite infill., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

During the past two decades, a plethora of fossil micro-organisms have been described from various Triassic to Miocene ambers. However, in addition to entrapped microbes, ambers commonly contain microscopic inclusions that sometimes resemble amoebae, ciliates, microfungi, and unicellular algae in size and shape, but do not provide further diagnostic features thereof. For a better assessment of the actual fossil record of unicellular eukaryotes in amber, we studied equivalent inclusions in modern resin of the Araucariaceae; this conifer family comprises important amber-producers in Earth history. Using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), we investigated the chemical nature of the inclusion matter and the resin matrix. Whereas the matrix, as expected, showed a more hydrocarbon/aromatic-dominated composition, the inclusions contain abundant salt ions and polar organics. However, the absence of signals characteristic for cellular biomass, namely distinctive proteinaceous amino acids and lipid moieties, indicates that the inclusions do not contain microbial cellular matter but salts and hydrophilic organic substances that probably derived from the plant itself. Rather than representing protists or their remains, these microbe-like inclusions, for which we propose the term 'pseudoinclusions', consist of compounds that are immiscible with the terpenoid resin matrix and were probably secreted in small amounts together with the actual resin by the plant tissue. Consequently, reports of protists from amber that are only based on the similarity of the overall shape and size to extant taxa, but do not provide relevant features at light-microscopical and ultrastructural level, cannot be accepted as unambiguous fossil evidence for these particular groups., (© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Mythicomyiidae, or micro bee flies, are tiny flies (0.5-5.0 mm) that are found throughout most parts of the world except the highest altitudes and latitudes (Greathead & Evenhuis 2001). Including all extinct and extant taxa, the Mythicomyiidae currently comprise more than 380 valid taxonomic species distributed among 30 genera. The subfamily Psiloderoidinae is especially well represented among the fossil Mythicomyiidae by seven Cretaceous or Cenozoic genera. We here describe a new genus and a new species of this subfamily based on fossils from the Earliest Eocene of Oise (France). A Psiloderoidinae, Proplatypygus matilei Nel & DePloëg, 2004, is already described in this amber. Another mythicomyiid, Eurodoliopteryx inexpectatus Nel, 2006, is the most frequent bombylioid in this amber (Nel & DePloëg, 2004; Nel, 2006).

Fossils of two tribes of the ant-like stone beetles, previously unknown in Eocene deposits, are recorded, based on inclusions in Baltic amber. Well-preserved specimens of Chevrolatia sp. (Chevrolatiini) and Cephennodes sp. (Cephenniini) are described, but the species lack reliable diagnostic characters and remain unnamed. This is the first record of a fossil of Chevrolatiini, an extant tribe that includes only one genus, Chevrolatia Jacquelin du Val, distributed in the Holarctic, Mexico, West Palaearctic and Afrotropical regions. The extant tribe Cephenniini, in turn, is cosmopolitan, but the only fossil unambiguously assigned to this taxon, an unnamed genus, was known from Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber. Many extant species of Cephennodes Reitter are known from Palaearctic, but they predominantly inhabit its eastern part, with only two species occurring in Europe. The Eocene specimen of Cephennodes sp. is also the first known fossil of this genus.

Ischalia Pascoe, 1860, the monotypic genus of Ischaliidae, was placed as a subfamily among Pyrochroidae or Anthicidae by earlier authors. Nikitsky (1992) raised the status of Ischaliidae to the family rank. This position has been largely accepted and consequently followed by recent authors dealing with Ischalia, as well as in our paper. Ischaliidae is known from the Palaearctic (the Himalayas, East Asia: easternmost Russia, Japan, E China), South East Asia (southwards to Java, Borneo and the Philippines), and the Nearctic region (southern Canada, U.S.A.). No recent European representatives of Ischalia are known. At present, this genus is composed of 43 species worldwide (Gusakov & Telnov 2007; Saitô 2011; Young 2011; Young 2014; Saitô & Young 2015) placed in three subgenera (Young 2011): Ischalia s. str.-37 species, Eupleurida LeConte, 1862-5 species, Nitidischalia Young, 2011-1 species. Ischaliidae is most diverse in tropical rainforests, but many species are also known from subtropical to temperate zones. Adults and larvae of two Nearctic Ischalia feed on fungal mycelium growing on decaying wood of coniferous and broad-leaved trees (e.g. Pinus ponderosa, Lithocarpus densiflora) (Young 1985). Mimicry has been described among Bornean Ischaliidae, Tenebrionidae and Chrysomelidae (Telnov 2005) and also among Ischaliidae, Omalisidae, Lycidae and Endomychidae (Kazantsev & Young 2010).

Paraneoptera is a group of orders, representing one of the highly diverse clades of winged insects. Paleozoic and Mesozoic fossil paraneopterans include a few primitive species, which are significant for understanding the early evolution of Paraneoptera. Here we report a new genus and species, namely Burmopsylla maculata gen. et sp. nov. from the mid-Cretaceous (ca. 99 Myr) amber of Myanmar. The new genus belongs to the family Archipsyllidae by having hindwing similar to forewing (shape, size and venation), presence of forewing ra-rp, rp-m and cua-cup crossveins, two-branched R, four-branched M, and four-segmented tarsus. The new species represents the second species of Archipsyllidae in Cretaceous Burmese amber.

The fossil dragonfly Burmalindenia imperfecta gen. et sp. nov. is described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber as the first record of the odonate suborder Anisoptera for this locality and one of the few records from amber in general. The inclusion comprises two fragments of the two hind wings of a dragonfly. The fossil can be attributed to a new genus and species of the family Gomphidae, presumably in the subfamily Lindeniinae, and features a strange teratological phenomenon in its wing venation.

The Mesozoic amber snakeflies are important for understanding the early evolution and phylogeny of Raphidioptera. Here we describe three new genera and four new species of the extinct family Mesoraphidiidae from the mid Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar, including Dolichoraphidia aspoecki gen. et sp. nov., Dolichoraphidia engeli gen. et sp. nov., Rhynchoraphidia burmana gen. et sp. nov., and Burmoraphidia reni gen. et sp. nov. All these species, together with the previously described species (i.e., Nanoraphidia electroburmica Engel, 2002) from Burmese amber, belong to the mesoraphidiid tribe Nanoraphidiini based on the minute body-size and the swollen tibiae. A key to all species of Nanoraphidiini is provided. A brief discussion on the genital morphology of Mesoraphidiidae is also given.