Chemical and palaeoentomological evidence of a relationship between early Eocene Belgian and Oise (France) ambers
- Author(s)
- Leyla J. Seyfullah, Jacek Szwedo, Alexander R. Schmidt, Cyrille Prestianni
- Abstract
Of the early Eocene amber deposits known across the world, Belgian amber has been mostly absent from the relevant literature. We reinvestigated amber held in the palaeobotanical collection of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, which derived from three localities in Belgium that originated from two geographical areas (Leval-Trahegnies and Orp-le-Grand). Using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy we show the close chemical relationship of Belgian amber to the early Eocene Oise amber from the Paris Basin, and highlight the potential effect of weathering on the amber chemistry. The amber derives from a very similar botanical source as the Oise amber (Combretaceae or Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae), but from different coeval basins. The two Leval-Trahegnies localities provided amber that exhibit different stages of weathering (heavily fissured and crazed, darkened) and lacking any inclusions. The Orp-le-Grand locality provided the least weathered amber, with one amber piece containing two inclusions: a mite and a new genus and species of hemipteran (Cativolcus uebruum gen. et sp. nov.), and a second one that preserved the impression of insect wings pressed into the surface.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Palaeontology
- External organisation(s)
- University of Gdańsk, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Université de Liège
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Volume
- 14
- ISSN
- 2045-2322
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-64286-z
- Publication date
- 06-2024
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 106008 Botany, 105117 Palaeobotany, 105118 Palaeontology, 105105 Geochemistry
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General
- Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 15 - Life on Land
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/2c536dbb-7ba1-4987-905f-1d28368a97ee