Meat-eating crickets from the age of dinosaurs
>> Wednesday, December 7, 2011
A predatory insect fossils from the age of dinosaurs recently found in a layer of limestone that lies in the northern region of Brazil. This insect is carnivorous insect-eating meat that comes from 100 million years ago. Crickets ancestors lived in the Cretaceous period, just before the supercontinent of Gondwana (the supercontinent that included Africa, South America, Australia, India, Arab, and Antarctica at this time) split.
As quoted from the website LiveScience, he comes from the genus Schizodactylus or oblique-legged crickets. Genus Schizodactylus include crickets that exist today, grasshopper, and the animals named Katydid. "This name they received in accordance with the legs at their disposal that allow them to warpage and support their bodies in a sandy habitat to hunt their prey," said Sam Heads, Chairman of the researchers who discovered the fossil. When hunting, Heads said, the species is actually not using a particular strategy. This fat-bodied insects come out at night combing their habitat to find prey. "They can move quickly when needed ... and they are quite voracious," said Sam, who comes from Illinois University.
At least, he has differences with the crickets that exist today. With a length of about 6 cm from the head to the back of his body, he has a rather strange posture. Antennae longer than its body. Crickets also has wings and legs curled sharp like snowshoes. According to the Heads, is to support it can still be planted in sandy areas. However, this very aggressive cricket can not fly despite having wings. Wings, says Heads usually only be expanded when needed. In general, Heads said, cricket is not so much evolved or have periods of 'evolutionary stasis' for at least 100 million years.
As quoted from the website LiveScience, he comes from the genus Schizodactylus or oblique-legged crickets. Genus Schizodactylus include crickets that exist today, grasshopper, and the animals named Katydid. "This name they received in accordance with the legs at their disposal that allow them to warpage and support their bodies in a sandy habitat to hunt their prey," said Sam Heads, Chairman of the researchers who discovered the fossil. When hunting, Heads said, the species is actually not using a particular strategy. This fat-bodied insects come out at night combing their habitat to find prey. "They can move quickly when needed ... and they are quite voracious," said Sam, who comes from Illinois University.
At least, he has differences with the crickets that exist today. With a length of about 6 cm from the head to the back of his body, he has a rather strange posture. Antennae longer than its body. Crickets also has wings and legs curled sharp like snowshoes. According to the Heads, is to support it can still be planted in sandy areas. However, this very aggressive cricket can not fly despite having wings. Wings, says Heads usually only be expanded when needed. In general, Heads said, cricket is not so much evolved or have periods of 'evolutionary stasis' for at least 100 million years.
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