Mesophthirus
Mesophthirus engeli is an extinct and primative species of parasitic insect (lice) that lived in Myanmar during the mid cretaceous period, about 100 million years ago (making it one of the oldest lice fossils discovered). M. engeli probaly fed on the feathers of dinosaurs as evidenced from the damaged dinosaur feathers preserved with the Mesophthirus engeli fossil.[1]
Description
This species was 0.2 mm long making it about twice the width of a human hair. The mandables of Mesophthirus engeli are not as sophisticated as modern species of lice. Its claws and antenna are covered in long, stiff bristles. This species is similar to modern licensed species as it has tiny eyes, short legs, shirt antenna and no wings.[2]
References
- ^ Gao, Taiping; Yin, Xiangchu; Shih, Chungkun; Rasnitsyn, Alexandr P.; Xu, Xing; Chen, Sha; Wang, Chen; Ren, Dong (2019-12-10). "New insects feeding on dinosaur feathers in mid-Cretaceous amber". Nature Communications. 10 (1): 5424. doi:10.1038/s41467-019-13516-4. ISSN 2041-1723.
- ^ Yirka, Bob; Phys.org. "Ancient lice-like insects found to feed on dinosaur feathers". phys.org. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
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