Baltic amber
Encyclopedia
Baltic region
The terms Baltic region, Baltic Rim countries, and Baltic Rim refer to slightly different combinations of countries in the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea.- Etymology :...
is home to the largest known deposit of amber
Amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin , which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents...
, called Baltic amber or succinite, with about 80% of the world's known amber found there. It dates from 44 million years ago (Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
). It has been estimated that these forests created over 105 tons of amber.
The term Baltic amber is generic, so amber from the Bitterfeld
Bitterfeld
Bitterfeld is a town in the district Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 July 2007 it has been part of the town Bitterfeld-Wolfen. It is situated approx. 25 km south of Dessau, and 30 km northeast of Halle...
brown coal mines in Saxony (Eastern Germany)
Eastern Germany
Eastern Germany may refer to:* New federal states of Germany, the states that joined the Federal Republic of Germany after 1990Historically:* Former eastern territories of Germany, territories lost by Germany during and after the two world wars...
goes under the same name. Bitterfeld amber was previously believed to be only 20–22 million years old (Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
), but a comparison of the animal inclusions revealed that it is most probably genuine Baltic amber that has only been redeposited in a Miocene deposit.
Because Baltic amber contains about 8% succinic acid
Succinic acid
Succinic acid is a dicarboxylic acid. Succinate plays a biochemical role in the citric acid cycle. The name derives from Latin succinum, meaning amber, from which the acid may be obtained....
, it is also termed succinite.
It was thought since the 1850s that the resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
that became amber was produced by the tree Pinites succinifer, but research in the 1980s came to the conclusion that the resin originates from several species. More recently it has been proposed, on the evidence of Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy
Infrared spectroscopy
Infrared spectroscopy is the spectroscopy that deals with the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, that is light with a longer wavelength and lower frequency than visible light. It covers a range of techniques, mostly based on absorption spectroscopy. As with all spectroscopic...
(FTIR) analysis of amber and resin from living trees, that conifers of the family Sciadopityaceae were responsible. The only extant representative of this family is the Japanese umbrella pine, Sciadopitys verticillata.
Numerous extinct genera and species of plants and animals have been discovered and scientifically described from inclusions in Baltic amber. Baltic amber includes the most species-rich fossil insect fauna discovered to date.
Paleobiology
Numerous organisms have been described from amber specimens including:Fauna
- AspidopleuraAspidopleuraAspidopleura is an extinct monotypic genus of parasitic wasp in the Eupelmidae subfamily Neanastatinae and at present, it contains the single species Aspidopleura baltica...
Gibson, 2009 - BaltimartyriaBaltimartyriaBaltimartyria is an extinct genus of primitive metallic moths in the family Micropterigidae. The genus is solely known from the Early Eocene Baltic amber deposits in the Baltic Sea region of Europe. The genus currently contains two described species, Baltimartyria proavitella and Baltimartyria...
Skalski, 1995 - BrevivulvaBrevivulvaBrevivulva is an extinct genus of parasitic wasp in the Eupelmidae subfamily Neanastatinae and contains the single species Brevivulva electroma...
Gibson, 2009 - ElectrinocelliaElectrinocelliaElectrinocellia is an extinct monotypic genus of Snakefly in the family Inocelliidae containing the single species Electrinocellia peculiaris and known from Eocene aged Baltic amber.-History and classification:...
(Carpenter) Engel, 1995 - EpiborkhausenitesEpiborkhausenitesEpiborkhausenites is an extinct genus of moth in the concealer moth family Oecophoridae and containing a single species Epiborkhausenites obscurotrimaculatus...
Skalski, 1973 - GracillariitesGracillariitesGracillariites is an extinct genus of moth in the Gracillariidae family, which existed in what is now Lithuania during the Eocene period. It was described by Kozlov in 1987, and the type species is Gracillariites lithuanicus. It also contains the species Gracillariites mixtus....
Kozlov, 1987 - ElectrocraniaMicropterix immensipalpaMicropterix immensipalpa is an extinct species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Kuznezov in 1941. It is only known from the single type specimen in Baltic amber....
Kuznezov, 1941 - Fibla carpenteriFibla carpenteriFibla carpenteri is an extinct species of snakefly in the Inocelliidae genus Fibla. F. carpenteri is named in honor of the paleoentomologist Dr Frank Carpenter, for his vast knowledge and interest in Raphidioptera....
Engel, 1995 - Metapelma archetyponMetapelma archetyponMetapelma archetypon is an extinct species of parasitic wasp in the Eupelmidae genus Metapelma. The species is solely known from the Early Eocene Baltic amber deposits in the Baltic Sea region of Europe. Of the thirty seven described species in the genus Metapelma, M...
Gibson, 2009 - Micropterix gertraudaeMicropterix gertraudaeMicropterix gertraudae is an extinct species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Kurz M. A & M. E. Kurz in 2010. It is only known from the single type specimen in Baltic amber, which has been mined at Palmnicken near Kaliningrad....
Kurz & Kurz, 2010 - NeanaperiallusNeanaperiallusNeanaperiallus is an extinct monotypic genus of parasitic wasp in the Eupelmidae subfamily Neanastatinae containing only a single species, Neanaperiallus masneri...
Gibson, 2009 - Palaeovespa baltica Cockerell, 1909
- Palaeovespa socialis Pionar, 2005
- ProlyonetiaProlyonetiaProlyonetia is an extinct genus of moths in the family Lyonetiidae. The single species Prolyonetia cockerelli Kusnetzov , 1941, has been described from Baltic amber.-External links:*...
Kusnetzov, 1941 - Propupa Stworzewicz & Pokryszko, 2006
- Stigmellites baltica (Kozlov, 1988) (Lepidopteran leaf mines)
- SuccinipatopsisSuccinipatopsisSuccinipatopsidae is an extinct family of Onychophoran consisting of the sole genus Succinipatopsis balticus, known from Baltic amber....
Poinar, 2000