South America's First Ancient Insect Amber Discovery Reveals 112-Million-Year-Old Gondwana Forest

In a groundbreaking paleontological discovery, researchers have unearthed South America's first amber deposits containing preserved ancient insects in an Ecuadorian quarry. This remarkable find offers scientists a rare 112-million-year-old window into life on the supercontinent Gondwana, providing unprecedented insights into Southern Hemisphere ecosystems during the Cretaceous period.

The amber discovery, detailed in a study published in Communications Earth & Environment, represents a significant milestone in paleontological research. Until now, nearly all major amber deposits containing biological inclusions were located in the Northern Hemisphere, leaving scientists with limited understanding of what Southern Hemisphere ecosystems looked like during the time when continents were beginning to separate from Gondwana.

The Hollín Formation Discovery

The research team led by Xavier Delclòs examined amber and surrounding rock samples collected from the Genoveva quarry in Ecuador. The amber belongs to the Hollín Formation, a sedimentary layer that stretches across Ecuador's Oriente Basin. What makes this discovery particularly significant is that it captures a vivid picture of a 112-million-year-old forest that once thrived on the ancient supercontinent.

Researchers identified two distinct types of amber at the site: one formed underground near the roots of resin-producing plants, and another that developed in the open air. This dual formation process provides valuable information about the environmental conditions and resin-producing trees that existed in this ancient ecosystem.

Preserved Biological Diversity

Among 60 samples of the amber that formed in open air conditions, the research team found 21 bio-inclusions representing five insect orders. These included Diptera (flies), Coleoptera (beetles), and Hymenoptera (a group that includes ants and wasps), as well as a fragment of spider web. The rock surrounding the amber also contained numerous plant fossils such as spores, pollen, and other botanical traces.

The characteristics of these fossils indicate that the amber originated in a warm, humid forest filled with dense vegetation and resin-producing trees in southern Gondwana. This ecosystem was teeming with diverse life forms, many of which have been perfectly preserved in the fossilized tree resin for over 112 million years.

Scientific Significance

This discovery opens new doors for exploring a long-overlooked prehistoric ecosystem. As noted in the research published by Springer Nature, amber provides rare, detailed glimpses of life forms such as insects and flowers that are not usually preserved as fossils. The exceptional preservation quality allows scientists to study minute details of these ancient organisms that would otherwise be lost to time.

The research team emphasizes that this rare find provides a crucial new resource for understanding life and biodiversity during this key period in Earth's history. The discovery helps fill significant gaps in our knowledge about how ecosystems developed in the Southern Hemisphere as continents separated from the supercontinent Gondwana.

This Ecuadorian amber deposit represents more than just a collection of ancient insects—it's a time capsule that preserves an entire ecosystem from a critical period in Earth's geological history. The findings contribute valuable data to our understanding of evolutionary processes, climate conditions, and biodiversity patterns during the Cretaceous period, offering new perspectives on how life adapted and evolved as continents drifted apart.