Rare Dominican Amber Bristletail and Associated Inclusions

Description: This amber piece displays an uncommon association of inclusions in Dominican amber. The main inclusion is a bristletail. The Bristletails are members of the Thysanura, a member of the Sub-Class Apterygota, or wingless insects. They are thought to be the most primitive of insects, and may never have had wings throughout their evolutionary history. The Thysanura carry three appendages, the two cerci which flank the central epiproct. These processes are fringed with bristles that are the source of the common name. Additionally there is a section of a leaf of unknown identity; such inclusions are typically termed botanicals. The last type of inclusion are the shed wings of termites. Flying termites, or alates, are the sexual form of termites which swarm from the colony to form new colonies. The colonies in an area often swarm simultaneously, thereby overwhelming potential predators.