Fossil Amber with Large Planthopper with Unusual Rostrum

Description: This plaque of amber displays a number of diverse insect inclusions. The most ususual is a Planthopper (Order Homoptera, Family Fulgoridae) i 12 mm long. The Fulgoridae houses the largest of the Planthoppers, some of which have unusual rostral projections such as this one.

The Dipteran contingent includes a pair of members of the Family Psychodidae with markedly diverse morphology. One is a Sand Fly (Subfamily Phlebotominae). Modern day sand flies are vectors for a number of tropical diseses. The other member of the Psychodidae is a Moth Fly (Subfamily Psychodinae), distinguished by the hairy wings and body.. The Hymenoptera are represented by a 4 mm ant and a tiny wasp. A 23 mm by 11 mm bark fragment was also entombed, making for a wonderful example of the diversity of the Amber Forest.