January 15, 2018 by David Martill, The Conversation
Butterflies and moths, the Lepidoptera, are
among the most beautiful of insects, familiar to almost everyone through
thousands of different species from all around the world. But how they evolved
has been something of a mystery to scientists because of a surprising lack of Lepidoptera
fossils.
Now researchers in the Netherlands have discovered Lepidoptera
fossils that are older than any previously found, proving these familiar
insects have been around for at least 200m years. The particular type of
fossils found mean we have to rethink Lepidoptera evolution. They imply that
the long tube butterflies and moths use to suck nectar from flowers actually
developed before flowering plants did, so it must have originally evolved for a
different purpose.
The fossil record of ancient
Lepidoptera is surprisingly meagre. Although butterflies may appear to be
delicate creatures, their external skeletons are made of the same tough
material, chitin, that all insects are made of. And chitin, or chitin
decay products, preserve really very well in the fossil record.
In fact, some of the best ever fossils are of
insects entombed in amber. Fossil Lepidoptera have been reported from a few
exceptional deposits. For example, butterflies are known from the famous Florissant fossil beds of
North America dating from the Eocene epoch, 34 million-years-old. A fossil
caterpillar with the characteristic spinneret (the body part that produces
silk) typical of all modern butterflies and moths has
been reported from 125 million-year-old Lebanese amber. But until now,
the fossil record went back no further.
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