Friday 3 October 2014

52-Million-Year-Old 'Ant-Loving' Beetle Caught in Amber

Laura Geggel, Staff Writer | October 02, 2014 01:06pm ET
A newly discovered 52-million-year-old fossil of an "ant-loving" beetle is the oldest example of its species on record, and may help researchers learn more about this social parasite, a new study finds.

Like its descendants living today, the ancient beetle was likely a myrmecophile, a species that depends on ants for survival. The prehistoric beetle probably shared living quarters with ants and benefited from their hard work by eating ant eggs and taking the ants' resources.

Other myrmecophiles include the lycaenid butterfly, which lays its eggs in carpenter ants' nests, tricking the ants into caring for their young; and the paussine ground beetle, which also dupes ants by living alongside them as it preys on the ants' young and workers.

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