Bitterfeld amber (Wunderlich 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

Collection methods: Repository: collection of Jorg Wunderlich

Primary reference: J. Wunderlich. 1991. Beschreibung der ersten fossilen Spinne der Familie Leptonetidae: Eoleptona kutscheri n. gen., n. sp. in Sächsischem Bernstein (Arachnida: Araneae). Entomologische Zeitschrift 101:21-26 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 147604: authorized by Matthew Clapham, entered by Matthew Clapham on 10.07.2013

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Arachnida
 Araneae - Spatiatoridae
Spatiator bitterfeldensis n. sp.20 Wunderlich 2017 spider
F2864/BI/CJW
 Araneae - Archaeidae
Saxonarchaea diabolica n. sp.2 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F556/BB/AR/ARC/CJW
 Araneae - Leptonetidae
Eoleptoneta kutscheri n. gen. n. sp.
Eoleptoneta kutscheri n. gen. n. sp. Wunderlich 1991 leptonetid spider
 Araneae - Scytodidae
? Scytodidae "indet. 1"1 Blackwall 1864 spitting spider
F36,F174/BB/AR/?SCY/CJW
 Araneae - Dysderidae
Harpactea sp.1 Bristowe 1939 woodlouse hunter spider
F531/BB/AR/DYS/CJW
 Araneae - Oonopidae
Orchestina (Baltorchestina) imperialis16 Petrunkevitch 1963 goblin spider
F1868, F1869/BB/AR/CJW
Orchestina (Baltorchestina) cochlembolus16 Wunderlich 1981 goblin spider
F1873/BB/AR/CJW
 Araneae - Segestriidae
Vetsegestria quinquespinosa1 Wunderlich 2004 tube-dwelling spider
F522/BB/AR/SEG/CJW
 Araneae - Pholcidae
Paraspermophora sp.1 Wunderlich 2004 daddy long-legs spider
F449/BB/AR/PHO/CJW
Paraspermophora bitterfeldensis n. sp.1 Wunderlich 2004 daddy long-legs spider
F367/BB/AR/PHO/CJW
 Araneae - Zoropsidae
Eomatachiini "indet. 1"11 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F63/BB/AR/ZOR/CJW
 Araneae - Theridiidae
Hirsutipalpus varipes17 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
F1785/BB/AR/CJW
Clya tricurvata17 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
F1612/BB/AR/CJW
Clya obscura17 Koch and Berendt 1854 cobweb spider
F1589/BB/AR/CJW
Spinitharinus bulbosus17 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
F1420/BB/AR/THE/CJW
Spinitharinus cheliceratus17 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
F1746/BB/AR/THE/CJW
Euryopis bitterfeldensis17 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
F1558, F1559/BB/AR/CJW
Eomysmena sp.17 Petrunkevitch 1942 cobweb spider
F1700/BB/AR/CJW
Episinus longimanus17 Koch and Berendt 1854 cobweb spider
F1428, F1430/CJW
Episinus balticus17 Marusik and Penney 2004 cobweb spider
F1459/BB/AR/THE/CJW
Kochiuridion pecten17 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
F1823/BB/AR/BJW
Lasaeola latisulci17 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
F1497, F1498/BB/AR/CJW
Lasaeola communis17 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
F1483/BB/AR/CJW
Lasaeola infulata17 Koch and Berendt 1854 cobweb spider
F1561/CJW
Ulesanis ovalis n. sp.17 Wunderlich 2008 cobweb spider
F1805/BB/AR/CJW
 Araneae - Cyatholipidae
Spinilipus curvatus n. sp.7 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F1088,F1096,F1102/BB/AR/CYA/CJW
Spinilipus bispinosus7 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F1087,F1097,F1098,F1100,F1104/BB/AR/CYA/CJW
 Araneae - Linyphiidae
Custodela sp.9 Petrunkevitch 1942 money spider/sheet weaver
F18/BB/AR/LIN/CJW (near stridulans)
? Custodela sp.9 Petrunkevitch 1942 money spider/sheet weaver
F8, F9/BB/AR/LIN/CJW
Custodela stridulans n. sp.9 Wunderlich 2004 money spider/sheet weaver
F19/BB/AR/LIN/CJW
Custodela pseudokochi9 Wunderlich 2004 money spider/sheet weaver
F186/BB/AR/LIN/CJW
Custodela bispinosa n. sp.9 Wunderlich 2004 money spider/sheet weaver
F413/BB/AR/LIN/CJW
Custodela femurspinosa n. sp.9 Wunderlich 2004 money spider/sheet weaver
F32/BB/AR/LIN/CJW
Custodela curvata n. sp.9 Wunderlich 2004 money spider/sheet weaver
F426/BB/AR/LIN/CJW
? Custodela parva n. sp.9 Wunderlich 2004 money spider/sheet weaver
Custodela bispina n. sp.9 Wunderlich 2004 money spider/sheet weaver
F424/BB/AR/LIN/CJW
Paralabulla sp.19 Wunderlich 2004 money spider/sheet weaver
F2301/BB/AR/CJW
 Araneae - Mysmenidae
Mysmena groehni5 Wunderlich 2004 spurred orb-weaver
 Araneae - Araneidae
"Graea breviembolus n. sp." = Eustaloides breviembolus3
"Graea breviembolus n. sp." = Eustaloides breviembolus3 Wunderlich 2004 orb-weaving spider
F551/BB/AR/ZYG/CJW
 Araneae - Theridiosomatidae
Eotheridiosoma sp.4 Wunderlich 2004 ray spider
F404,F406,F407/CJW
Eotheridiosoma tuber n. gen. n. sp.4 Wunderlich 2004 ray spider
F402/BB/AR/THR/CJW
Spinitheridiosoma bispinosum n. sp.4 Wunderlich 2004 ray spider
F403/BB/AR/THR/CJW
 Araneae - Synotaxidae
Chelicerinus abnormis n. gen. n. sp.16 Wunderlich 2008 spider
F1414/BB/AR/CJW
Cornuanandrus bitterfeldensis n. sp.8 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F1030/BB/AR/SYN/CJW
Succinitaxus brevis8 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F1024/BB/AR/SYN/CJW
 Araneae - Anapidae
Fossilanapis sp.18 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F2250/BB/AR/CJW
? Fossilanapis sp.5 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F996/BB/AR/ANA/CJW
Ruganapis scutata18 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F2247/BB/AR/CJW
Balticoroma serafinorum5 Wunderlich 2004 spider
Flagellanapis voigti n. gen. n. sp.5 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F986, F1003, F1004, F1005/BB/AR/ANA/CJW
Balticonopsis ludwigi n. sp.20 Wunderlich 2017 spider
F2869/BI/CJW
 Araneae - Protheridiidae
Protheridion bitterfeldensis n. sp.6 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F250/BB/AR/PRO/CJW
 Araneae - Hahniidae
Eocryphoeca bitterfeldensis n. sp.10 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F835/BB/AR/DIC/CJW
Eohahnia succini10 Petrunkevitch 1958 spider
F731,F732(x8)/BB/AR/DIC/CJW
Cymbiohahnia parens10 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F740-F742,F744,F743(x8)/BB/AR/DIC/CJW
 Araneae - Oxyopidae
Oxyopidae indet.12 Thorell 1870 spider
F720/BB/AR/OXY/CJW
 Araneae - Dictynidae
Mastigusa magnibulbus n. sp.10 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F747/BB/AR/DIC/CJW
Mastigusa bitterfeldensis n. sp.10 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F748/BB/AR/DIC/CJW
Chelicirrum stridulans10 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F790/BB/AR/DIC/CJW
 Araneae - Liocranidae
Apostenus spinimanus13 Koch and Berendt 1854 spider
F707/BB/AR/LIO/CJW
 Araneae - Philodromidae
Ablator triguttatus14 Koch and Berendt 1854 spider
 Araneae - Salticidae
Gorgopsina frenata15 Koch and Berendt 1854 spider
F287/BB/AR/SAL/JCW
Almolinus bitterfeldensis n. sp.15 Wunderlich 2004 spider
F307/BB/AR/SAL/JCW
Tetragnathidae
  - Tetragnathidae
Anameta distenda n. gen. n. sp.3
Anameta distenda n. gen. n. sp.3 Wunderlich 2004
F39/BB/AR/TET/CJW