This a BEAUTIFUL gem quality piece of amber with a Rare Silverfish (Order Zygentoma Family Lepismatidae) from the late Cretaceous of Myanmar! The Silverfish is in fantastic condition with all segments and tails (silverfish have a lot of tails) articulated and in fine detail! It measures 12 mm, which is ENOURMOUS for a burmite insect which usually measure 1-2 mm! The amber is a gorgeous light citrine color with excellent gem quality clarity! The amber's dimensions measure 14.09 x 10.07 x 4.51 millimeters and weighs .37 grams! It comes in a floating frame with a stand, blown up pictures of the inclusion, and detailed information for easy transport and a beautiful display!
Silverfish are primitive, wingless, scavenging insects known for their fish like movements and silvery color. They are the most well known member of the Zygentoma order, as such even though the insect named a silverfish refers to a single modern species, most fossil specimens of this order are nicknamed such. The fossil record for Zygentoma is sparce. Although these insects are believed to have first evolved over 300 million years ago the earliest fossils are barely a third that age. Aside from some indeterminate specimens from Brazil, specimens such as these in burmite represent the oldest and best preserved known fossils of the Zygentoma Order. That these specimens belong to the same family within Zygentoma as the modern silverfish (Lepismatidae) is an added bonus!
Amber is petrified tree resin (not sap, resin is much thicker). It forms when trees secrete resin, and the resin is quickly washed away by water and deposited in a lake where it is covered by sediment (if the resin isn’t washed away it decomposes or gets eaten). Along the way, small particles of dust, bits of plant material, and even small animals like insects and lizards can become trapped in the resin which hardens and preserves whatever is trapped within (aka inclusions). Myanmar amber, also known as Burmite, is world renowned gem quality amber known for excellent inclusions of insects, plants, and even small vertebrates! The preservation in amber can be so good it inspired a major portion of Jurassic Park, where blood sucking insects trapped in amber provided the DNA needed to clone dinosaurs! While the science of cloning dinosaurs from amber is, for better or worse, not a reality the pristine fossils of small animals that are rarely fossilized in any other way is very real! Makes for a terrific addition to any fossil collection or even a gem for high end jewelry!
Fake Amber is a plague on the fossil market, this piece has been tested to guarantee authenticity!
I do combined shipping upon request.
All my items come with a Certificate of Authenticity!
Inclusions: "Silverfish" (Order Zygentoma Family Lepismatidae)
Size: 14.09 x 10.07 x 4.51 mm (amber), 12 mm (Silverfish)
Clarity: Excellent
Color: Light Citrine
Found: Hukawng Valley, Myanmar
Age: 99 million years old
Alteration: polished