47-million-year-old fossil stuns scientists with its preservation: Even the wing veins are visible

Scientists have lifted the lid on one of the oldest known examples of a cicada - an extremely well-preserved fossil discovered in Germany.

In a paper published in the science journal Scientific Reports, the team of researchers - led by the paleontologist Dr. Hui Jiang - revealed details about the fossilized cicada, estimated to be about 47 million years old.

Where was the cicada fossil discovered?

The fossil was found at the Messel Pit near Frankfurt, Germany. A disused quarry that is well known for its abundance of excellently-preserved fossils, the pit became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

Belonging to a newly-named species, Eoplatypleura messelensis, the fossilized insect is a “true” cicada - or cicadidae - that measures just over an inch in length.

It has a wingspan of just under 2.7 inches - and is so well preserved that the veins in its wings remain clearly visible.

“Chunky, noisy insects”

Described by the Smithsonian Institution as “chunky, noisy insects with bright red-eyes”, cicadidae boast more than 3,000 species worldwide, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.

Some species can live for as long as 17 years, although much of their life is spent underground.

“Oldest confirmed record” of cicadidae subfamily

The earliest known fossil record of a cicadidae dates from the Late Palaeocene period around 60 million years ago, the researchers note in their paper. It was found at Bear Creek in the U.S. state Montana.

One of only 44 documented cicadidae fossils, the specimen found at the Messel Pit is the world’s “oldest confirmed record” of a subfamily known as Cicadinae.

Within that subfamily, the insect belongs to a cicadidae tribe called Platypleurini.

“Pushes back the known fossil record”

Speaking to CNN, Dr. Jiang said the Messel Pit fossil has major implications for scientists’ understanding of the development of the Platypleurini tribe, which today inhabits areas of Asia and Africa.

Previously, Dr. Jiang said, the tribe was understood to have evolved in Africa around 25 to 30 million years ago. However, this example of a Platypleurini cicadidae significantly “pushes back the known fossil record”.

In an interview with the BBC, meanwhile, Dr. Jiang said the patterns visible on the fossilized cicadidae’s wings may well have served as a useful survival tool.

“These patterns are similar to those of modern cicada species of the Platypleurini group, which live in woods and scrubland,“ he explained.

”Given the subtropical vegetation in the Messel area around 47 million years ago, the coloration could have fulfilled a similar ecological function – for example as camouflage."

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