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Parasitic Mite on Cranefly Age: Oligocene Formation: Amber Mines Location: Dominican Republic Size: Amber piece is 0.55 inches long This specimen is not for sale Click here for similar specimens that are for sale
This fossil is a very rare glimpse into ancient Parasitic behaviour. This is a large Cranefly being attacked by a Parasitic Mite (Acari). This activity was all captured in this chunk of Baltic Amber. You can easily see the phoretic Mite attached to the leg of the Cranefly. The Mite would like to feed on the life juices of the host fly. This is an uncommon occurrence in the fossil record, and an example this dramatic is extremely rare. This is a textbook example of parasitic behaviour that is 50 Million Years Old (small close-up photo is included for free).