Although it is always exciting to discover a new fossil for scientists, some discoveries are more special than others. In New Zealand, a 14.6 million -year -old fossilized bee was discovered, and this is particularly exciting because it was the first fossil bee in Zelandy.

The Hindon Maar complex, located near the Outram town of Otram region on the southern island of New Zealand, dates back to the middle of the Miocene era. There are four volcanoes close to each other in this area, and many fossil insects have been discovered here.

The newly discovered bee fossil was preserved in organic cudstrate and was called Leioproctus (Otagocolletes) Barrydonovani. The bee found was a 6.4 millimeter long female. The vessels on the wings are similar to the three sub -breeds of New Zealand Leioproctus bees.

History of Leioproctus

The research team thinks that the genus Leioproctus may have lived in New Zealand more than 14.6 million years ago and may have diversified and specialized in the flowers around them during this period.

The authors say that some insect lineages have developed unique features in New Zealand, but most of them are significantly impoverished because of the complexity of the landscape. There are currently only 18 endemic Leioproctus species in New Zealand, which shows that an event caused it in the past. They think that modern Leioproctus species can represent the time when the genus came to New Zealand and may have nothing to do with the current types of bees.

The team thinks that the bee may have lived in mixed wide -leaf forests surrounding Miocene Maar. It is not known which plants of the new species used as a mansion and no pollen connected to the fossil was found. However, the fact that Pseudopanax flowers were found in the same sediment may show that the bee probably visits these species.

The study was published in Zoosytema magazine…