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Millions Years Old Wasp Discovered in Amber

AMBER: Dracula may have a rival for the creepiest creature to feature fangs after a tiny wasp with long sharp teeth that lived millions of years ago was discovered.

The new subfamily of wasps has been named Supraserphites Dracula after the blood-sucking character from Bram Stoker’s novel made famous for his bite.

The fossil of the wasp – found trapped in amber – has other features adapted for devouring its prey, including extra flap-like features at either side of its mouth.Related imageScientists found that the ancient insect was also unique because of the number of segments in its antennae and veins in its wings.  

Researchers from the Russian Academy of Science in Moscow and Natural History Museum, as well as the University of Tübingen in Germany, are behind the discovery.

The rock from which the fossil was extracted was dated to the Early Cretaceous era that began 145 million years ago and ended around 100 million years ago.

It was extracted from mines located in the Hukawng Valley of Kachin Province in Myanmar and is described as having two or three ‘long acute teeth’ as well as flat and long jawbones.