Prussian Formation
{{Short description|Geologic formation in Prussia}}
{{Infobox rockunit|name=Prussian Formation|period=Eocene|age=Eocene, {{fossilrange|56|35}}|image=Baltic-amber-deposit-Yantarny.jpg|imagesize=250px|caption=Outcrop of the Prussian Formation in Yantarny, Russia|type=Geological formation|prilithology=|otherlithology=Phosphorite, Amber, Glauconite|unitof=|subunits=*Blue Earth Member|underlies=|overlies=|thickness=|area=|map=|map_caption=|location=Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia|coordinates=|region=|country=|extent=|namedfor=|namedby=|year_ts=|location_ts=|coordinates_ts=|paleocoordinates_ts=|region_ts=Sambian Peninsula|country_ts=|thickness_ts=}}
The Prussian Formation, previously known as the Amber Formation, is a geologic formation in Prussia, today mostly Kaliningrad Oblast that dates to the Eocene.{{Cite journal |last1=Moser |first1=Marina |last2=Burks |first2=Roger A. |last3=Ulmer |first3=Jonah M. |last4=Heraty |first4=John M. |last5=Kamp |first5=Thomas van de |last6=Krogmann |first6=Lars |date=2021-05-25 |title=Taxonomic description and phylogenetic placement of two new species of Spalangiopelta (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae: Ceinae) from Eocene Baltic amber |journal=PeerJ |language=en |volume=9 |pages=e10939 |doi=10.7717/peerj.10939 |issn=2167-8359 |pmc=8162234 |pmid=34113480 |doi-access=free}} It holds 90% of the world's amber supply and Baltic amber is found exclusively in the Prussian Formation.{{Cite journal |last=G.s |first=Kharin |last2=N.p |first2=Lukashina |date=2002 |title=ACCUMULATION CONDITIONS AND CORRELATION OF THE UPPER EOCENE AMBER-BEARING PRUSSIAN FORMATION, KALININGRAD REGION |url=https://repository.geologyscience.ru/handle/123456789/28976 |journal=Geology Science.ru |issn=0869-5938}}
The Prussian Formation is equivalent to the Obukhov Formation of Ukraine and Belarus.
Geological context
File:Bryłki Bursztynu Bałtyckiego (sukcynitu).jpg from the Prussian Formation]]
In situ Baltic amber is found within the Prussian Formation, with the main amber bearing horizon being referred to as "Blue Earth", so named due to its glauconite content. The formation is exposed in the northern part of the Sambia Peninsula in Kaliningrad.
Different authors have given estimates of 40-47 million years ago and 35-43 million years ago as the age of the Prussian Formation.
Paleobiology
Numerous extinct genera and species of plants and animals have been discovered and scientifically described from inclusions in the Prussian Formation.{{cite book |author1=Weitschat, W. |title=Atlas of Plants and Animals in Baltic Amber |author2=Wichard, W. |publisher=Pfeil |year=2002 |isbn=978-3931516949}} Inclusions of insects make up over 98% of the animals preserved in the amber, while all other arthropods, annelids, molluscs, nematodes, protozoans contribute less than 0.5% of the animals. Vertebrates are another 0.5% of the animals included and mostly are represented by mammal fur, feathers, and reptiles.{{cite book |last1=Weitschat |first1=W. |title=Biodiversity of Fossils in Amber from the Major World Deposits |last2=Wichard |first2=W. |date=2010 |publisher=Siri Scientific Press |isbn=978-0-9558636-4-6 |editor-last=Penney |editor-first=D. |pages=80–115 |chapter=Chapter 6: Baltic amber}}
= Flora =
= Fauna =
{{columns-list|*Agroecomyrmex Wheeler, 1910{{ cite journal | last1 = Wheeler | first1 = W. M. | title = The Ants of the Baltic Amber | journal = Schriften der Physikalisch-Ökonomischen Gesellschaft zu Königsberg | year = 1914 | volume = 55 | issue = 4 | pages = 56–59 }}
- Aphaenogaster mersa Wheeler, 1915
- Aphaenogaster oligocenica Wheeler, 1915
- Aphaenogaster sommerfeldti (Mayr, 1868)
- Arostropsis Yunakov & Kirejtshuk, 2011{{Cite journal |last1=Yunakov |first1=N.N. |last2=Kirejtshuk |first2=A.G. |year=2011 |title=New genus and species of broad-nosed weevils from Baltic amber and notes on fossils of the subfamily Entiminae (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) |journal= ZooKeys |issue=160 |pages = 73–96 |doi= 10.3897/zookeys.160.2108 |pmid=22303121 |pmc=3253632|doi-access=free }}
- Aspidopleura Gibson, 2009{{cite journal | last1 = Gibson | first1 = G. A. P. | year = 2009 | title = Description of three New Genera and four New Species of Neanastatinae (Hymenoptera, Eupelmidae) from Baltic Amber, with Discussion of their Relationships to Extant Taxa | journal = ZooKeys | issue = 20 | pages = 175–214 | url = http://pensoftonline.net/zookeys/index.php/journal/article/view/161 | doi = 10.3897/zookeys.20.161 | access-date = 2011-03-29 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100922071426/http://pensoftonline.net/zookeys/index.php/journal/article/view/161 | archive-date = 2010-09-22 | url-status = dead | doi-access = free }}
- Asymphylomyrmex Wheeler, 1915
- Balticopta gusakovi Balashov & Perkovsky, 2020Balashov I.A. & Perkovsky E.E. 2020. [https://kmkjournals.com/upload/PDF/IZ/IZ%20Vol%2017/invert17_1_018_024_Balashov_Perkovsky_for_Inet.pdf An Eocene land snail Balticopta gusakovi gen.n., sp.n. (Stylommatophora: Gastrocoptidae) from Baltic amber] // Invertebrate Zoology. Vol.17. No.1: 18–24.
- Baltimartyria Skalski, 1995
- Baltocteniza Eskov & Zonstein, 2000{{cite journal |last1=Eskov |first1=K. Y. |last2=Zonstein |first2=S. L. |year=2000 |title=The First Ctenizoid Mygalomorph Spiders from Eocene Baltic Amber (Araneida: Mygalomorphae: Ctenizidae) |journal=Paleontological Journal |volume=34 |issue=3 |pages=S268–S274}} [http://palaeoentomolog.ru/Publ/PALS268.pdf Part 1]; [http://palaeoentomolog.ru/Publ/PALS271.pdf part 2], PDF.
- Brevivulva Gibson, 2009
- Deinodryinus areolatus (Ponomarenko, 1975){{Cite journal |last1= Guglielmino |first1=A. |last2=Olmi |first2=M. |year=2011 |title=Revision of fossil species of Deinodryinus, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Dryinidae) |journal= ZooKeys |issue=130 |pages = 495–504 |doi=10.3897/zookeys.130.1326 |pmid=22259295 |pmc=3260777|doi-access=free }}
- Deinodryinus velteni Guglielmino & Olmi, 2011
- Diochus electrus Chatzimanolis & Engel, 2011{{Cite journal |last1=Chatzimanolis |first1=S. |last2=Engel |first2=M. S. |title=A new species of Diochus from Baltic amber (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Diochini) |journal=ZooKeys |year=2011 |issue=138 |pages=65–73 |doi=10.3897/zookeys.138.1896 |url=https://www.pensoft.net/J_FILES/1/articles/1896/1896-G-3-layout.pdf |pmid=22144854 |pmc=3208521|doi-access=free }}
- Electrinocellia (Carpenter) Engel, 1995{{ cite journal | last1 = Engel | first1 = M. S. | year = 1995 | title = A New Fossil Snake-Fly Species from Baltic Amber (Raphidioptera: Inocelliidae) | journal = Psyche: A Journal of Entomology | volume = 102 | issue = 3–4 | pages = 187–193 | doi = 10.1155/1995/23626 | doi-access = free | hdl = 1808/16479 | hdl-access = free }}
- Electrocteniza Eskov & Zonstein, 2000
- Electropodagrion Azar & Nel, 2008{{cite journal |last1=Azar |first1=D. |last2=Nel |first2=A. |year=2008 |title= First Baltic amber megapodagrionid damselfly (Odonata: Zygoptera) |journal=Annales de la Société Entomologique de France |series=New Series |volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=451–457 |doi=10.1080/00379271.2008.10697580|doi-access=free }}{{subscription required|via=Taylor & Francis}}
- Electrostephanus Brues, 1933{{Cite journal |last1=Engel |first1=M.S. |last2=Ortega-Blanco |first2=J. |year=2008 |title=The fossil crown wasp Electrostephanus petiolatus Brues in Baltic Amber (Hymenoptera, Stephanidae): designation of a neotype, revised classification, and a key to amber Stephanidae |journal= ZooKeys |issue=4 |pages = 55–64 |doi=10.3897/zookeys.4.49|doi-access=free |hdl=2445/36428 |hdl-access=free }}
- Elektrithone Makarkin, Wedmann, & Weiterschan, 2014{{Cite journal|last1=Makarkin |first1=VN |last2=Wedmann |first2=S |last3=Weiterschan |first3=T |year=2014 |title=First record of the family Ithonidae (Neuroptera) from Baltic amber |journal=Zootaxa |volume=3796 |issue=2 |pages=385–393 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.3796.2.10 |pmid=24870683 }}
- Eogeometer vadens Fischer, Michalski & Hausmann, 2019{{cite journal |last1=Fischer |first1=Thilo C. |last2=Michalski |first2=Artur |last3=Hausmann |first3=Axel |year=2019 |title=Geometrid caterpillar in Eocene Baltic amber (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 17201 |doi=10.1038/s41598-019-53734-w |pmid=31748672 |pmc=6868187|bibcode=2019NatSR...917201F }}
- Epiborkhausenites Skalski, 1973{{Cite journal | last1 = Skalski | first1 = A. W. | title = Studies on the Lepidoptera from Fossil Resins. Part II. Epiborkhausenites obscurotrimaculatus gen. et sp. nov. (Oecophoridae) and a Tineid-Moth Discovered in the Baltic Amber | journal = Acta Palaeontologica Polonica | year = 1973 | volume = 18 | issue = 1 | pages = 153–160 | url = http://app.pan.pl/archive/published/app18/app18-153.pdf }}
- Glisachaemus Szwedo, 2007{{cite journal |last1=Szwedo |first1=J. |year=2007 |title=Glisachaemus jonasdamzeni gen. et sp. nov. of Cixiidae from the Eocene Baltic amber (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) |journal=Alavesia |volume=1 |pages=109–116 |url=http://ag.udel.edu/delpha/4299.pdf |access-date=2015-06-09 |archive-date=2011-07-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719015738/http://ag.udel.edu/delpha/4299.pdf |url-status=dead }}
- Gracillariites Kozlov, 1987
- Metanephrocerus collini Carpenter & Hull, 1939{{cite journal |last1=Kehlmaier |first1=C |last2=Dierick |first2=M |last3=Skevington |first3=JH |year=2014 |title=Micro-CT studies of amber inclusions reveal internal genitalic features of big-headed flies, enabling a systematic placement of Metanephrocerus Aczel, 1948 (Insecta: Diptera: Pipunculidae) |journal=Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny |volume=72 |issue=1 |pages=23–36|doi=10.3897/asp.72.e31784 |doi-access=free }}
- Metanephrocerus groehni Kehlmaier & Skevington, 2014
- Metanephrocerus hoffeinsorum Kehlmaier & Skevington, 2014
- Electrocrania Kuznezov, 1941
- Fibla carpenteri Engel, 1995
- Metapelma archetypon Gibson, 2009
- Micropterix gertraudae Kurz & Kurz, 2010
- Mindarus harringtoni (Hele, 2008)
- Neanaperiallus Gibson, 2009
- Palaeovespa baltica Cockerell, 1909{{Cite journal|last1 = Cockerell | first1 = T. D. A. | year = 1906 | title = Fossil Hymenoptera from Florissant, Colorado | journal = Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology | volume = 50 | issue = 2 | url = https://archive.org/details/fossilhymenopter00cockiala }}
- Palaeovespa socialis Pionar, 2005{{ cite journal | last1 = Poinar | first1 = G. | author-link = George Poinar Jr. | year = 2005 | title = Fossil Trigonalidae and Vespidae (Hymenoptera) in Baltic Amber | journal = Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington | volume = 107 | issue = 1 | pages = 55–63 | url = https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/32142741 }}
- Prolyonetia Kusnetzov, 1941
- Propupa Stworzewicz & Pokryszko, 2006{{ cite journal |author1=Stworzewicz, E. |author2=Pokryszko, B. M. | year = 2006 | title = Eocene Terrestrial Snails (Gastropoda) from Baltic Amber | journal = Annales Zoologici | volume = 56 | issue = 1 | pages = 215–224 | url = http://www.miiz.waw.pl/periodicals/annales-zoologici/abstracts/AZ-56-1-abs.pdf }}
- Pseudogarypus synchrotron Henderickx, 2012{{Cite journal |last1=Henderickx |first1=H. |last2=Tafforeau |first2=P. |last3=Soriano |first3=C |year=2012 |title=Phase-contrast synchrotron microtomography reveals the morphology of a partially visible new Pseudogarypus in Baltic amber (Pseudoscorpiones: Pseudogarypidae) |journal= Palaeontologia Electronica |volume=15 |issue=2;17A,11p |pages = 1–11 |url=http://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2012-issue-2-articles/252-pseudogarypus-synchrotron}}
- Stigmellites baltica (Kozlov, 1988) (Lepidopteran leaf mines)
- Xylolaemus sakhnovi Alekseev & Lord, 2014{{cite journal |last1=Alekseev |first1=VI |last2=Lord |first2=NP |year=2014 |title=A new species of Xylolaemus (Coleoptera: Zopheridae: Colydiinae) from Baltic amber |journal=Baltic Journal of Coleopterology |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=97–102 |issn= 1407-8619}}
- Succinipatopsis Poinar, 2000{{Cite journal | first1 = G. Jr. | last1 = Poinar | title = Fossil Onychophorans from Dominican and Baltic Amber: Tertiapatus dominicanus n.g., n.sp. (Tertiapatidae n.fam.) and Succinipatopsis balticus n.g., n.sp. (Succinipatopsidae n.fam.) with a Proposed Classification of the Subphylum Onychophora | journal = Invertebrate Biology | volume = 119 | issue = 1 | pages = 104–9 | year = 2000| doi = 10.1111/j.1744-7410.2000.tb00178.x| doi-access = free }}
- Yantarogekko balticus Bauer et al., 2005
- Yantaromyrmex constricta (Mayr, 1868){{cite journal |last1=Dlussky |first1=GM |last2=Dubovikoff |first2=DA |year=2013 |title=Yantaromyrmex gen. n. – a new ant genus (Hymenoptera Formicidae) from Late Eocene ambers of Europe |journal=Caucasian Entomological Bulletin |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=305–314 |url=http://www.antwiki.org/wiki/images/0/08/Dlussky%2C_G.M._%26_Dubovikoff%2C_D.A._2013._Yantaromyrmex_gen._n._%E2%80%93_a_new_ant_genus_%28Hymenoptera_Formicidae%29_from_Late_Eocene_ambers_of_Europe.pdf|doi=10.23885/1814-3326-2013-9-2-305-314 |doi-access=free }}
- Yantaromyrmex geinitzi (Mayr, 1868)
- Yantaromyrmex samlandica (Wheeler, 1915)|colwidth=15em}}