New Species of Reed Beetle Discovered in Baltic Amber

A 40 million year old specimen of a reed beetle was found in Baltic amber and described as a species new to science. The beetle was named in honour of A. Bieńkowski, PhD in Biological Sciences and a specialist in leaf beetles.

Vitaly Alekseev, an IKBFU researcher:
The Baltic amber reed beetle is the first fossil representative of the genus to be discovered intact: previously, findings of the species were limited to imprints in sedimentary rocks. A number of specific traits and the unique possibility of detailed comparison with modern relatives allowed us to classify it as a separate (sixth) subgenus of reed beetles. Undoubtedly, the newly-described Donacia (Protodonacia) bienkowskii lived among grassy marginal plants, indirectly indicating the presence of submerged or semi-submerged vegetation around water bodies in amber forests.

Vitaly Alekseev, an IKBFU researcher:

The Baltic amber reed beetle is the first fossil representative of the genus to be discovered intact: previously, findings of the species were limited to imprints in sedimentary rocks. A number of specific traits and the unique possibility of detailed comparison with modern relatives allowed us to classify it as a separate (sixth) subgenus of reed beetles. Undoubtedly, the newly-described Donacia (Protodonacia) bienkowskii lived among grassy marginal plants, indirectly indicating the presence of submerged or semi-submerged vegetation around water bodies in amber forests.

The study was published in the reputable scientific journal Historical Biology.