Bitterfeld amber (Kutscher Gottingen collection) (Eocene of Germany)

Also known as Saxonian amber

Where: Halle, Germany (51.6° N, 12.4° E: paleocoordinates 50.4° N, 8.0° E)

When: Priabonian (38.0 - 33.9 Ma)

• Bitterfeld amber occurs in the "Bernsteinschluff" Horizon, i.e. a part of the Upper "Bitterfelder Glimmersand" in the upper part of the Cottbus Formation. Detailed biostratigraphic investigations favor an uppermost Chattian age for the unit. Originally assigned a Miocene age, and then thought to be redeposited Baltic amber. The chemical composition of Bitterfeld amber is distinct from true Baltic amber (e.g., Sodhi et al., 2013). Hydrogen isotopes indicate that Baltic and Bitterfeld ambers have distinct geographic sources, but carbon isotopes and insects suggest Baltic and Bitterfeld ambers are coeval in age (Wolfe et al., 2016).

Environment/lithology: terrestrial; lithified amber

Size class: mesofossils

Preservation: soft parts, original chitin, amber

Collected by Manfred Kutscher

• Repository: collection of Manfred Kutscher, some in University of Göttingen (Geowissenschaftlisches Zentrum der Georg-August-Universität GZG)

Primary reference: V. Perrichot. 2009. Long-tailed wasps (Hymenoptera: Megalyridae) from Cretaceous and Paleogene European amber. Paleontological Contributions 1:1-35 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 129228: authorized by Matthew Clapham, entered by Matthew Clapham on 22.06.2012

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Insecta
 Hemiptera - Reduviidae
Proptilocerus dolosus10 Wasmann 1932 assassin bug
 Hemiptera - Aphididae
Germaraphis sp.15 Heie 1967 aphid
F-008 (x2), F-079 (x5), F-145 (x2), F-147 (x10), F-148, F-150, F-167, F-205 (x4)
Germaraphis dryoides16 Germar and Berendt 1856 aphid
MKK F-146 (x5), F-149 (x25)
Germaraphis (Henningsenia) ungulata17 Heie 1967 aphid
MKK F-167
 Hymenoptera - Megalyridae
Prodinapsis succinalis Brues 1923 wasp
GZG-BST-26981a,b
 Hymenoptera - Formicidae
Procerapachys annosus3 Wheeler 1915 army ant
GZG.BST (MKC) 27.103
Gnamptogenys europaea3 Mayr 1868 ant
GZG.BST (MKC) 27.013, 27.016a
"Bradoponera meyeri" = Bradoponera meieri3 Mayr 1868 ant
GZG.BST (MKC) 27.101
Tetraponera simplex3 Mayr 1868 ant
GZG.BST (MKC) 27.142, 27.157, 27.180
Gesomyrmex hoernesi8 Mayr 1868 ant
F-010, F-129, F-130
Formica kutscheri n. sp.1 Dlussky 2008 ant
MKC F-67
Formica gustawi1 Dlussky 2002 ant
MKC F-68, F-75
Formica flori15 Mayr 1868 ant
F-079
Lasius schiefferdeckeri16 Mayr 1868 ant
MKK F-146 (x7), F-149 (x3)
Nylanderia pygmaea13 Mayr 1868 ant
GZG.BST (MKC) 27.011, 27.016 (x6), 27.020, 27.022, 27.026, 27.034, 27.036, 27.039, 27.040 (x5), 27.042, 27.043, 27.195, 27.196, 27.197
Prenolepis henschei13 Mayr 1868 ant
GZG.BST (MKC) 27.086
Plagiolepis kuenowi4 Mayr 1868 ant
GZG.BST (MKC) 25.081 (3 workers)
Plagiolepis solitaria4 Mayr 1868 ant
GZG.BST (MKC) 25.024
Plagiolepis paradoxa n. sp.4 Dlussky 2010 ant
GZG.BST (MKC) 25.012
Yantaromyrmex geinitzi5 Mayr 1868 ant
including GZG.BST 27.023
"Anonychomyrma constricta" = Yantaromyrmex constrictus15 Mayr 1868 ant
F-145
Yantaromyrmex samlandicus5 Wheeler 1915 ant
GZG.BST MKC 27.144
Ctenobethylus goepperti15 Mayr 1868 ant
13 in F-008, 3 in F-147, 1 in F-150, 1 in F-205
Dolichoderus kutscheri n. sp.2 Dlussky 2008 ant
F-089
Dolichoderus brevipennis n. sp.2 Dlussky 2008 ant
F-035
Pachycondyla succinea3 Mayr 1868 ant
GZG.BST (MKC) 27.018, 27.021
Pachycondyla tristis n. sp.3 Dlussky 2009 ant
MKC 27.131
Hypoponera atavia3 Mayr 1868 ant
GZG.BST (MKC) 27.009, 27.019, 27.028, 27.194
Ponera wheeleri3 Dlussky 2009 ant
GZG.BST (MKC) 27.064
Protaneuretus mirabilis n. sp.9 Dubovikoff and Dlussky 2020 ant
GZG.BST.27160
Monomorium mayrianum15 Wheeler 1915 ant
MKK F-167
Fallomyrma transversa6 Dlussky and Radchenko 2006 ant
F-162 (2 workers)
Plesiomyrmex tubulatus n. gen. n. sp.7 Dlussky and Radchenko 2009 ant
GZG.BST 27.193
Stigmomyrmex venustus18 Mayr 1868 ant
GZG.BST 27.176
Pristomyrmex archaios n. sp.19 Radchenko and Dlussky 2018 ant
GZG.BST 27.041
Carebara kutscheri n. sp.20 Radchenko et al. 2019 ant
GZG.BST.27.173 (holotype soldier and 3 workers), GZG.BST.27.178 (2 workers)
 Trichoptera - Rhyacophilidae
Rhyacophila kutscheri n. sp.14 Mey 1988 caddisfly
 Trichoptera - Psychomyiidae
Lype recta n. sp.14
Lype recta n. sp.14 Mey 1988 caddisfly
 Trichoptera - Ecnomidae
Archaeotinodes dentinosa n. sp.14 Mey 1988 caddisfly
 Diptera - Limoniidae
Cheilotrichia (Empeda) weitschati n. sp.12 Kopeć and Kania 2013 crane fly
GZG Kutscher 86
Elephantomyia (Elephantomyia) brevipalpa11 Loew 1851 crane fly
Kutscher 161
 Diptera - Ceratopogonidae
Dasyhelea miocaenica n. sp.23 Szadziewski 1993 biting midge
MKC K-15
Forcipomyia "sp."23 Meigen 1818 biting midge
MKC K-33, 91, 105
Forcipomyia (Trichohelea) bifidicola n. sp.23 Szadziewski 1993 biting midge
MKC K-6
Forcipomyia (Euprojoannisia) sp.23 Brèthes 1914 biting midge
MKC K-14, 28, 32, 98
Forcipomyia (Euprojoannisia) tuberculosa n. sp.23 Szadziewski 1993 biting midge
MKC K-19
Forcipomyia (Forcipomyia) sp.23 Meigen 1818 biting midge
Culicoides sp.23 Latreille 1809 biting midge
MKC K-5, 11, 24, 53, 56b, 93, 107
Culicoides speciosus23 Meunier 1904 biting midge
MKC K-12, 25, 29(x2), 39
Eohelea sinuosa23 Meunier 1904 biting midge
MKC K-2, 50, 103(x3)
Ceratopogon sp.23 Meigen 1803 biting midge
Ceratopogon hennigi23 Szadziewski 1988 biting midge
MKC K-52
Ceratopogon kotejai n. sp.23 Szadziewski 1993 biting midge
MKC K-48
Ceratopogon forcipiformis23 Meunier 1904 biting midge
MKC K-26, 56a, 64
"Chimaerohelea nielseni" = Meunierohelea nielseni23 Szadziewski 1988 biting midge
MKC K-20
Mantohelea gedanica23 Szadziewski 1988 biting midge
MKC K-58
Serromyia sp.23 Meigen 1818 biting midge
MKC K-36, 58, 65, 69
Serromyia errata24 Szadziewski 2018 biting midge
MKC K-84, K-96
Brachypogon (Brachypogon) sp.23 Kieffer 1899 biting midge
MKC K-46, 57a,b
Brachypogon (Isohelea) sp.23 Kieffer 1917 biting midge
MKC K-38
Brachypogon (Isohelea) prominulus23 Meunier 1904 biting midge
MKC K-17, 35, 54, 85
Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) kutscheri n. sp.23 Szadziewski 1993 biting midge
MKC K-66
Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) saxonica n. sp.23 Szadziewski 1993 biting midge
MKC K-61
Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) falcata23 Meunier 1904 biting midge
MKC K-44, K-70
"Monohelea clunipes" = Monogedania clunipes23 Loew 1850 biting midge
MKC K-99
Nannohelea sp.23 Grogan and Wirth 1980 biting midge
MKC K-49
Fossihelea sp.23 Szadziewski 1988 biting midge
MKC K-95
Fossihelea "sp. B"23 Szadziewski 1988 biting midge
MKC K-43
 Diptera - Diopsidae
Prosphyracephala succini21 Loew 1873 stalk-eyed fly
Arachnida
 Araneae - Archaeidae
Saxonarchaea dentata27 Wunderlich 2004 spider
Eoarchaea vidua27 Wunderlich 2004 spider
K/AR/12
Eoarchaea hyperoptica27 Menge 1854 spider
Archaea paradoxa27 Koch and Berendt 1854 spider
K/AR/10, K/AR/11
 Araneae - Segestriidae
Vetsegestria quinquespinosa26 Wunderlich 2004 tube-dwelling spider
K/AR/19, 20
 Araneae - Tetrablemmidae
Balticoblemma unicorniculum26 Wunderlich 2004 armored spider
K/AR/5
 Araneae - Pholcidae
Paraspermophora sp.26 Wunderlich 2004 daddy long-legs spider
K/AR/18
 Araneae - Uloboridae
Hyptiomopes bitterfeldensis28 Wunderlich 2004 hackled orb-weaver
 Araneae - Theridiidae
Hirsutipalpus varipes34 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
Clya tricurvata34 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
Clya supercalefacta34 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
Episinus longimanus34 Koch and Berendt 1854 cobweb spider
K/AR/6
Unispinatoda aculeata34 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
Succinobertus adjacens34 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
Lasaeola infulata34 Koch and Berendt 1854 cobweb spider
 Araneae - Cyatholipidae
Succinilipus sp.31 Wunderlich 1993 spider
Succinilipus similis n. sp.31 Wunderlich 2004 spider
K/AR/3
Spinilipus curvatus31 Wunderlich 2004 spider
Spinilipus bispinosus31 Wunderlich 2004 spider
AR-7
 Araneae - Linyphiidae
Custodela acutula n. sp.32 Wunderlich 2004 money spider/sheet weaver
K/AR/17
 Araneae - Mysmenidae
Eomysmenopsis spinipes30 Wunderlich 2004 spurred orb-weaver
 Araneae - Araneidae
Eonephila bitterfeldensis n. sp.29 Wunderlich 2004 orb-weaving spider
 Araneae - Anapidae
Balticoroma gracilipes30 Wunderlich 2004 spider
K/AR/15 (all in same piece)
 Araneae - Dictynidae
Chelicirrum stridulans33 Wunderlich 2004 spider
K/AR/2
 Araneae - Dipluridae
Clostes ? priscus25 Menge 1869 funnel-web tarantula
T.10, B1
 Pseudoscorpiones - Pseudotyrannochthoniidae
Centrochthonius bitterfeldicus n. sp.22 Schwarze et al. 2022 pseudoscorpion
GZG.BST.23850