The oldest mosquito fossil in the Southern Hemisphere opens a new portrait of evolution

Mr. Robert's fossil samples in Australia helped scientists identify a previously unknown mosquito species, suggesting an origin in the supercontinent Gondwana.

Robert Beattie, 82, a retired teacher and amateur fossil hunter, has been fascinated with fossils since he was a child. Over the years, he has donated many specimens to the Australian Museum, including prehistoric fish and insects found in fossil fields across the country. Photo: Louise Reily/Australian Museum.

Recently, the special fossil specimen that Mr. Robert found at the Talbragar Fish Beds area in New South Wales has become the center of attention of both scientists and the public. Photo: Salty Dingo/Australian Museum.

Because the results of the study of the fossil helped experts identify a previously unknown insect species. They determined that the Aedes mosquito inside the fossil that Mr. Robert found was a new species. Photo: Louise Reily/Australian Museum.

Scientists have named the new mosquito species Telmatomyia talbragarica. The specimen dates back to the Jurassic period and belongs to the Podonominae subfamily. Photo: Australian Museum.

"Robert has been collecting these fossils for about 10 years. We didn't really understand their significance until we started studying them recently," said Dr Matthew McCurry of the Australian Museum and co-author of the study. Photo: Australian Museum.

For many years, scientists thought these freshwater insects evolved in the Northern Hemisphere, largely because the oldest known fossils were found in areas such as China and Siberia – part of a prehistoric supercontinent called Laurasia. Photo: Australian Museum.

The fossil Robert found is the oldest ever found in the Southern Hemisphere. The discovery could challenge theories about how they evolved. Photo: Australian Museum.

The researchers also claim that the age and location of the fossil provides compelling evidence for the hypothesis that the black mosquito originated in the southern supercontinent Gondwana, not Laurasia. Photo: Australian Museum.

According to Dr. Matthew, the discovery of the new mosquito species Telmatomyia talbragarica gives scientists more evidence and valuable information about unknown animals as well as helping paleontological research. Photo: Louise Reily/Australian Museum.

At the same time, experts said they will actively search and investigate locations in the Southern Hemisphere in the hope of making new discoveries that will help clarify things we do not know about the world . Photo: Louise Reily/Salty Dingo/Australian Museum.

Readers are invited to watch the video : Behind the success of scientists. Source: VTV24.

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