| FOSSIL NO: | AI0038 |
| AGE: | 25 million years |
| TERM: | Oligocene |
| LOCATION: | Santiago, Dominican Republic |
LIVING SPECIMENS:
| OTHER INFORMATION: |
This piece of amber contains a rarely-seen specimen of an assassin bug. Assassin bugs feed in a manner known as external digestion. They release a secretion that liquifies the tissues of their prey, after which they ingest this solution. The toxin acts rapidly and renders the prey powerless within a few seconds. While some assassin bugs actively seek out their prey, others lie in wait for it. The colors on this specimen"s wings have been well preserved. Modern-day assassin bugs possess all the same features as those living 25 million years ago. The fossil pictured is one of the proofs that assassin bugs never evolved, maintaining exactly the same characteristics for millions of years.
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