A specimen of Sirenobethylus charybdis preserved in amber
Qiong Wu
An incredible prehistoric wasp encased in amber has been discovered, suggesting a unique predatory behavior where it may have used its abdomen as a grasping mechanism similar to a Venus flytrap to capture other insects before laying eggs on them.
Named Sirenobethylus charybdis by researchers from the Natural History Museum of Denmark, this wasp lived approximately 99 million years ago during the Cretaceous period.
Through the use of micro-CT scanning, the scientists were able to examine 16 female wasps preserved in amber from the Kachin region of Myanmar. These specimens displayed a distinctive clasping structure in their abdomens, composed of three flaps that could open and close, indicating a flexible grasping mechanism.
Analysis of modern and extinct wasp species revealed that the closest relatives of the amber-encased wasps belong to the superfamily Chrysidoidea, which includes parasitoid species like cuckoo wasps that lay eggs on host insects, eventually leading to their demise.
The unique feature of S. charybdis lies in the lower flap of its abdomen, which likely functioned as a sensory trigger similar to the mechanism of a Venus flytrap. This adaptation allowed the wasp to ambush potential prey, such as flying insects or nymphs, by swiftly capturing them and depositing its eggs.
Dr. Manuel Brazidec from the University of Rennes in France commended the discovery, highlighting the innovative solution that Sirenobethylus charybdis offers to the challenge faced by parasitoid insects in immobilizing their hosts for egg-laying purposes.
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