Fine Cretaceous Lacewing Insect Fossil

Liaoning Province in northeast China has remained one of the hottest paleontology study sites on earth the past two decades. Liaoning is perhaps most famous for discoveries of feathered dinosaurs. From feathered dinosaurs to birds to reptiles with color patterns, the fine lake silts of Liaoning preserved the most intricate of life from more than 100 million years ago. Relatively hard to preserve insects are well represented in the diverse Liaoning biota. This insect fossil from the age of dinosaurs exhibits many fine details such as the venation in the wings. Note also the many fresh water clam fossils on board.

Neuropterans first appear in the Permian fossil record, and continually diversified through Mesozoic. Their defining feature is four membranous wings, with two forewings and two hindwings of similar size with detailed venation, as exhibited here in this fine fossil. Above and to the right of the insect is possibly a lacewing larval form.