Fine Yixian Shield Bug Fossil with Color Preserved

Description: The Class Insecta is well represented in Liaoning and Hebei Provinces of China, with over 500 species referable to over 100 families based upon over 10,000 specimens. This fantastic diversity and exquisite detail is unprecedented throughout the world. The exact age of the Yixian Formation is still under debate, with some researchers favoring the Early Cretaceous, some the Late Jurassic, and still others the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary. This example is a fine member of the Acanthosomatidae, a family of shield bugs. In addition to their armor like bodies, many modern day examples exude a foul stench as a defense mechanism, earning them the name “stink bugs”. Note the excellent preservation of the color pattern on the body of this fine specimen.