Analysis of rare fossil fly specimens in Germany showed that the prehistoric creature died with a “swollen belly” filled with pollen.
“The rich pollen content that we found in the belly of the fossil fly suggests that this insect played an important role in the spread of pollen in a variety of plants 47 million years ago.”, Paleontologist Fridgeir Grimsson at the University of Vienna in Austria, lead author of the study, points out.
The ‘dead’ fly specimen was found by Grimsson and his associates at Messel’s Trench, a fossil hotspot in Germany that was included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO as the best place to learn about the habitat of Thuy Tan (57 – 36 million years ago).
“This area was once home to oil shale deposits, but is now the subject of scientific research for many well-preserved animal fossils,” Grimsson adds.
The team took pollen particles from fossil flies to analyze them under an electron microscope and determine their origins, mainly ivy and willow. This finding suggests that the specimen may have died while feeding around an area of shallow water.
Flies are considered a nuisance by many, but they play a particularly important role in the ecosystem. Grimsson believes that during Thuy Tan’s period, this insect dominated bees as pollinators.
