Description

Early Cretaceous (Berriasian)

Yixian Formation

Huangbangi Valley, Beipiao, Liaoning Province, China

Fair 0.5 inch insect.

Insect,

This specimen comes from oldest stage of the Cretaceous Period – not long before the first flowering plants appeared.

Many Cretaceous insects can be identified to at least family by an entomologist because maybe half of the modern insect families appeared during the Cretaceous.  However, some now-extinct groups also existed then so identifying this one might require the expertise of a paleoentomologist.  In any case some collectors like a mystery and pick up unidentified specimens on the chance that it might turn out to be something unusual.