Identification of rumanite (Romanian amber) as thermally altered succinite (Baltic amber)

Stout, Edith C.; Beck, Curt W.; Anderson, Ken B.

doi:10.1007/s002690000111

Cited by 37 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…Rumanite (Romanian amber) has long been considered to be a separate fossil resin from Baltic amber but may in fact share the same origin although being thermally degraded (Stout et al, 2000). Pseudoscorpions were briefly mentioned as being present by Protescu (1937), but no additional data are available.…”

Section: Romanian Ambermentioning

confidence: 99%

The fossil history of pseudoscorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones)

Harms

Dunlop

2017

Foss. Rec.

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Abstract. Pseudoscorpions, given their resemblance to scorpions, have attracted human attention since the time of Aristotle, although they are much smaller and lack the sting and elongated tail. These arachnids have a long evolutionary history but their origins and phylogenetic affinities are still being debated. Here, we summarise their fossil record based on a comprehensive review of the literature and data contained in other sources. Pseudoscorpions are one of the oldest colonisers of the land, with fossils known since the Middle Devonian (ca. 390 Ma). The only arachnid orders with an older fossil record are scorpions, harvestmen and acariform mites, plus two extinct groups. Pseudoscorpions do not fossilise easily, and records from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic consist almost exclusively of amber inclusions. Most Mesozoic fossils come from Archingeay and Burmese ambers (Late Cretaceous) and those from the Cenozoic are primarily from Eocene Baltic amber, although additional fossils from, for example, Miocene Dominican and Mexican ambers, are known. Overall, 16 of the 26 families of living pseudoscorpions have been documented from fossils and 49 currently valid species are recognised in the literature. Pseudoscorpions represent a case of morphological stasis and even the Devonian fossils look rather modern. Indeed, most amber fossils are comparable to Recent groups despite a major gap in the fossil record of almost 250 Myr. Baltic amber inclusions indicate palaeofauna inhabiting much warmer climates than today and point to climatic shifts in central Europe since the Eocene. They also indicate that some groups (e.g. Feaellidae and Pseudogarypidae) had much wider Eocene distributions. Their present-day occurrence is relictual and highlights past extinction events. Faunas from younger tropical amber deposits (e.g. Dominican and Mexican amber) are comparable to Recent ones. Generally, there is a strong bias in the amber record towards groups that live under tree bark, whereas those from litter habitats are underrepresented. We also discuss challenges in interpreting fossils: their cryptic morphology warranting novel techniques of morphological reconstruction, the massive gap in the fossil record between the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic, and problems with the classification of (historically) old amber material. Finally, we discuss aspects of the palaeoecology and biology of the fossils compared with the Recent fauna, such as phoresy.

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Section: Romanian Ambermentioning

confidence: 99%

The fossil history of pseudoscorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones)

Harms

Dunlop

2017

Foss. Rec.

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“…There are a few comparative analytical studies of Romanian geological amber, referred to as Rumanite or Romanite, which conclude that Romanian amber is geologically younger, but chemically almost identical, to Baltic amber (Stout et al, 2000).…”

Section: Applicability Of Fourier Transform Infrared Technique In Thementioning

confidence: 99%

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy - Useful Analytical Tool for Non-Destructive Analysis

Liţescu¹,

Teodor²,

Truica³

et al. 2012

Infrared Spectroscopy - Materials Science, Engineering and Technology

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“…An important study was carried out in 2000 by Stout et al [3], reviewing geological and physico-chemical studies about this material [4][5][6][7]. In addition, according to data obtained by their own GC-MS and thermal pyrolysis analyses, they concluded that Romanite is thermally altered Baltic amber.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analytical methods to differentiate Romanian amber and Baltic amber for archaeological applications

et al. 2009

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Abstract:The study aims to establish several definite criteria which will differentiate Romanian amber and Baltic amber to certify the local or Baltic origin of the materials found in archaeological sites on the Romanian territory, by using light microscopy and performing analytical methods, such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-variable angle reflectance and liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry detection. Experiments especially by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, were applied to a wide range of samples with controlled origin. The methods were optimised and resulted in premises to apply the techniques to analysis of the archaeological material.© Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

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Identification of rumanite (Romanian amber) as thermally altered succinite (Baltic amber)

Cited by 37 publications

References 0 publications

The fossil history of pseudoscorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones)

The fossil history of pseudoscorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones)

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy - Useful Analytical Tool for Non-Destructive Analysis

Analytical methods to differentiate Romanian amber and Baltic amber for archaeological applications

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