Huge Museum Phasmida Insect Fossil from Solnhofen

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Description: This is a very well preserved, museum grade specimen of this delicate long-legged Jurassic insect. This one is about the maximum size for a fully mature adult. Scientists believe these were aquatic insects, and are commonly called waterbugs. They possibly used their long legs to skate across the water. As member of the order Phasmida, it is closely related to walking sticks. Propygolampis resembles the modern water striders of Order Hemiptera, Family Gerridae, it is not closely related to them. There has been no restoration or enhancement of the specimen. It is aesthetically resting on a large, thick and heavy plate of Solnhofen lithographic limestone.

This spectacular fossil comes from the famous Lagerstätte, the lithographic limestone Solnhofen deposits of Germany. These 150 million year old deposits are famous for their exceptionally well-preserved and diverse organisms, the most famous of which are the handful of specimens of the ancient bird Archaeopteryx.

Also see: Solnhofen Fossils