Scientists Have Found Oldest Crab Fossil Trapped in Amber

INDOZONE.ID – Scientists recently discovered the oldest crab trapped in amber for 100 million years. Amber, also known as amber, is a tree resin that hardens into fossils and is often classified as a gemstone.

This discovery dates back to the time of the dinosaurs and is the missing link in evolution. Citing the Independent, this small crab is believed to be the ancestor of the modern red crab which migrated to the oceans to reproduce. Seeing this, Dr. Javier Luque of Harvard University provides the comments.

“The specimens are spectacular, these are the only ones. Completely complete and not missing a single hair from her body, amazing,” he told the Independent.

“In the fossil record, non-marine crabs evolved 50 million years ago, but these animals have doubled in age,” he continued.

In the fossil record, it is known that this is the most intact crab fossil. Javier says the more we learn, the more we realize that these animals are very special in many ways. Well-developed gills indicate an aquatic or semi-aquatic lifestyle.

According to CNN, the discovery of the crab in the amber has a length of up to 5 millimeters and is most likely a baby crab. Researchers themselves say that Cretapsara proves crabs made the leap from sea to land and fresh water during the age of the dinosaurs.

Moreover, Creptasara athanata is a species of amphibian. Allegedly entered into semi-terrestrial animals that migrated from land to water. This phenomenon has also been likened to the modern red crab, where mothers release their babies into the sea.

“These Miocene crabs are truly modern-looking crabs like their extant relatives. They live in trees, in small pools of water,” said Dr Javier Luque.

The fossil of the crab in amber itself is in the Longyin Amber Museum, China. Citing SciTechDaily, Dr. Javie Luque first became aware of this discovery in 2018 and was determined to research it.

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