99-Million-Year-Old Insect Fossil Named After Teletubbies Vacuum Cleaner
Translated & summarized from NEWSru Israel by baba
Scientists have identified a new insect species, Cretodorus noonoo, that lived 99 million years ago and is named after the Teletubbies vacuum cleaner due to its long, hose-like mouthparts. The insect's proboscis, twice its body length, was flexible and used to feed on tree sap deep within bark. This discovery, found in Myanmar amber, provides insights into Cretaceous ecosystems and insect evolution.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A new insect species, Cretodorus noonoo, lived 99 million years ago and has been discovered in Myanmar amber.
- The insect is named after the Teletubbies vacuum cleaner due to its mouthparts resembling a long hose.
- Cretodorus noonoo possessed an unusually long proboscis, twice the length of its body, for feeding.
- Scientists believe the insect fed on tree sap accessed through narrow bark cracks.
- The discovery offers insights into insect evolution and Cretaceous forest ecosystems.
Scientists from Tel Aviv University have described a new species of insect, Cretodorus noonoo, that lived approximately 99 million years ago. This ancient insect possessed an exceptionally long proboscis, measuring twice the length of its body. The researchers studied amber samples from Myanmar, dating back to the Cretaceous period, which contained the previously unknown species of cicada-like insect.
The specific epithet "Noo-Noo" was chosen by the scientists in honor of the vacuum cleaner character from the children's show "Teletubbies," due to the insect's mouthparts resembling a long hose. The most striking feature of Cretodorus noonoo was its incredibly long and flexible mouthparts, which nearly doubled its body length. Using micro-computerized tomography, the researchers discovered that the proboscis was covered in transverse folds, a corrugated structure that provided flexibility and prevented breakage.
The study, published in the journal Insects, suggests that Cretodorus noonoo likely fed on tree sap rather than pollen. Its flexible proboscis could penetrate narrow cracks in tree bark to reach deep vascular tissues, and a unique double structure at its tip aided in securely anchoring the organ during feeding. The development of such adaptations in multiple insect groups during the Cretaceous period may have been influenced by frequent forest fires, which caused trees to develop very dense bark.
Co-author of the study, Dr. Leonidas-Rhonanos Davranoglou, stated that the discovery of "Noo-Noo" offers a remarkable glimpse into the insect world of the dinosaur era. He highlighted that this insect developed an evolutionary solution, a long, flexible, and durable feeding organ, with few modern parallels, likely enabling it to access food deep within tree bark. Davranoglou added that the appearance of similar structures in several Cretaceous insect groups indicates significantly different ecological conditions in ancient forests compared to today, and that this discovery helps reconstruct past ecosystems.