Aug 22, 2008

New Insect Species discovered on eBay


A scientist in UK has discovered a new species of insect on eBay! How? Dr Richard Harrington of UK's Royal Entomological Society spotted a sample of fossilised insect encased in amber on eBay. Out of curiosity he ordered it by paying £20 to the Lithuanian seller and found that the fossilised insect is actually a long, extinct and previously unknown species of aphid.

The 3-4 mm long insect is encased in a 40-50 million year old piece of amber, about the size of a small pill. For proper identification, Dr Harrington sent it to fossil aphid expert Professor Ole Heie in Denmark. Heie confirmed that it was from a previously unknown species and named it Mindarus harringtoni after the name of Dr Harrington.



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