Ancient parasitic 'Venus flytrap' wasp found preserved in amber
An extinct species of parasitic wasp dating back nearly 99 million years was found preserved in amber, according to researchers.
Specimens of Sirenobethylus charybdis, or S. charybdis, named after the Greek mythological sea monster Charybdis, would use their Venus flytrap-like abdomen to capture and immobilize their prey, according to a paper published Wednesday in BMC Biology.
MORE: Dozens of dinosaur footprints found at Australian school, scientists say
Researchers at the Natural History Museum of Denmark and Capital Normal University in China analyzed 16 female specimens preserved in amber using micro-CT scanning. They estimate the specimens, collected from the Kachin region in northern Myanmar, date to 98.79 million years ago during the mid-Cretaceous period.
The morphology of the wasps indicates that they were parasitoids, or insects whose larvae live as parasites inside their hosts before eventually killing them, the researchers said. The wasps likely allowed their host to continue growing while feeding on it.
The species' lower abdomen forms a paddle-shaped structure with a dozen hair-like bristles, reminiscent of a Venus flytrap plant, according to the paper. The three-flap abdominal apparatus may have served as a mechanism to temporarily restrain the host during egg-laying, the researchers said.
MORE: Well-preserved remains of saber-toothed kitten found frozen in Russian tundra, researchers say
S. charybdis was likely unable to pursue prey over long distances, and the researchers speculate that they waited with the apparatus open for a potential host before activating the capture response.
Its abdomen is unlike that of any known insect, according to the paper.
MORE: Prehistoric mastodon jaw found in backyard of New York home
The "elaborate" grasping apparatus likely allowed the species to snag highly mobile prey, such as winged or jumping insects, the researchers said.
Cuckoo wasps and bethylid wasps are modern-day parasitoids within the same superfamily, Chrysidoidea, according to the paper.
A unique pattern of veins in the hind wing of the extinct S. charybdis also suggests that the species may belong to its own family, the Sirenobethylidae, the researchers said.
Ancient parasitic 'Venus flytrap' wasp found preserved in amber originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Launches Life Science, BioTech & Pharmaceutical (LBP) Management Liability Policy in Australia
BOSTON & SYDNEY, June 09, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) today announced the introduction of a Management Liability Insurance Policy tailored expressly for Life Science, BioTech and Pharmaceutical (LBP) companies in Australia. "The new LBP Management Liability Policy reflects our commitment to Australia's thriving life sciences community and our deep understanding of the challenges start-ups face at every stage of their journey," said Jessica Jefferies, Underwriting Manager, National Brokers, Executive & Professional Lines, BHSI Australia. "Life Sciences is one of the most promising industries in Australia and we are thrilled to be able to provide an innovative solution to support the industry". BHSI's new LBP Management Liability Insurance Policy is specifically for the R&D ecosystem – all stakeholders in Australia's diverse and energetic life sciences sector. The new product offers enhanced cover tailored for life sciences companies, with coverage not found in standard Management Liability policies. BHSI's solution will extend cover and ensure Directors, Officers, Scientific and Medical Advisory Boards all get the benefit of cover as they develop cutting-edge solutions globally. With an understanding of the funding requirements, the product provides two key elements of protection, extending cover for private capital raisings, and not excluding cover in the event of the Company's insolvency. With many Australian life sciences companies looking abroad for clinical development, BHSI's offering has the ability to extend protection to U.S. exposures, recognising the frequent pursuit of FDA approvals by Australian firms. The new solution expands BHSI's existing Management Liability policy wording for private companies and not-for-profits. BHSI is a leading market for Directors and Officers Liability insurance for ASX-listed life sciences companies in Australia. This launch extends that expertise and forms part of BHSI's strategy to provide tailored support for biotech and pharmaceutical customers from start-up to scale. To learn more, contact Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company (incorporated in Nebraska, USA) ABN 84 600 643 034, AFS Licence No. 466713 ( provides commercial property, casualty, healthcare professional liability, executive and professional lines, transactional liability, surety, marine, travel, programs, accident & health, medical stop loss, homeowners, and multinational insurance. The actual and final terms of coverage for all product lines may vary. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company holds financial strength ratings of A++ from AM Best and AA+ from Standard & Poor's. Based in Boston, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Columbia, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Irvine, Los Angeles, New York, Plymouth Meeting, San Francisco, San Ramon, Seattle, Stevens Point, Adelaide, Auckland, Barcelona, Brisbane, Brussels, Calgary, Cologne, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London, Lyon, Macau, Madrid, Manchester, Melbourne, Milan, Munich, Paris, Perth, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney, Toronto, and Zurich. View source version on Contacts MEDIA CONTACTJoAnn Lee / +1 617.936.2937
Business Wire
5 hours ago
- Business Wire
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Launches Life Science, BioTech & Pharmaceutical (LBP) Management Liability Policy in Australia
BOSTON & SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) today announced the introduction of a Management Liability Insurance Policy tailored expressly for Life Science, BioTech and Pharmaceutical (LBP) companies in Australia. 'The new LBP Management Liability Policy reflects our commitment to Australia's thriving life sciences community and our deep understanding of the challenges start-ups face at every stage of their journey,' said Jessica Jefferies, Underwriting Manager, National Brokers, Executive & Professional Lines, BHSI Australia. 'Life Sciences is one of the most promising industries in Australia and we are thrilled to be able to provide an innovative solution to support the industry'. BHSI's new LBP Management Liability Insurance Policy is specifically for the R&D ecosystem – all stakeholders in Australia's diverse and energetic life sciences sector. The new product offers enhanced cover tailored for life sciences companies, with coverage not found in standard Management Liability policies. BHSI's solution will extend cover and ensure Directors, Officers, Scientific and Medical Advisory Boards all get the benefit of cover as they develop cutting-edge solutions globally. With an understanding of the funding requirements, the product provides two key elements of protection, extending cover for private capital raisings, and not excluding cover in the event of the Company's insolvency. With many Australian life sciences companies looking abroad for clinical development, BHSI's offering has the ability to extend protection to U.S. exposures, recognising the frequent pursuit of FDA approvals by Australian firms. The new solution expands BHSI's existing Management Liability policy wording for private companies and not-for-profits. BHSI is a leading market for Directors and Officers Liability insurance for ASX-listed life sciences companies in Australia. This launch extends that expertise and forms part of BHSI's strategy to provide tailored support for biotech and pharmaceutical customers from start-up to scale. To learn more, contact Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company (incorporated in Nebraska, USA) ABN 84 600 643 034, AFS Licence No. 466713 ( provides commercial property, casualty, healthcare professional liability, executive and professional lines, transactional liability, surety, marine, travel, programs, accident & health, medical stop loss, homeowners, and multinational insurance. The actual and final terms of coverage for all product lines may vary. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company holds financial strength ratings of A++ from AM Best and AA+ from Standard & Poor's. Based in Boston, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Columbia, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Irvine, Los Angeles, New York, Plymouth Meeting, San Francisco, San Ramon, Seattle, Stevens Point, Adelaide, Auckland, Barcelona, Brisbane, Brussels, Calgary, Cologne, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London, Lyon, Macau, Madrid, Manchester, Melbourne, Milan, Munich, Paris, Perth, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney, Toronto, and Zurich.
Chicago Tribune
5 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Used in COVID shots, mRNA may help rid the body of HIV
The technology that powered COVID vaccines may also lead scientists to a cure for HIV. Using mRNA, Australian researchers said they were able to trick the virus to come out of hiding, a crucial step in ridding the body of it entirely. The research, published last week in Nature Communications, is still preliminary and so far has been shown to be successful only in a lab. But it suggests that mRNA has potential far beyond its use in vaccines as a means to deliver therapies against stubborn adversaries. Short for messenger RNA, mRNA is a set of instructions for a gene. In the case of COVID vaccines, the instructions were for a piece of the coronavirus. In the new study, they are for molecules key to targeting HIV. Dr. Sharon Lewin, director of the Doherty Institute at the University of Melbourne, who led the study, called mRNA a 'miraculous' tool 'to deliver things that you want into places that were not possible before.' Vaccines deploying mRNA instruct the body to produce a fragment of the virus, which then sets off the body's immune response. In the United States, the shots were initially hailed for turning back the pandemic, then viewed by some with suspicion and fear. Some officials, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have falsely said that they are highly dangerous and even deadly. Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services sought to limit the vaccine's availability to pregnant women, children and healthy younger adults. The administration also canceled a nearly $600 million contract with the drugmaker Moderna to develop an mRNA shot for humans against bird flu. 'The fear right now is not rational,' Lewin said, adding that 'mRNA vaccines have been given to millions of people around the world, so we have a very good understanding of their risks.' The new study describes the use of mRNA as a tool to flush HIV out of its hiding places. Other uses could involve providing proteins missing from those with certain diseases or correcting genetic errors. Frauke Muecksch, a virologist at Heidelberg University in Germany who was not involved in the work, called mRNA a 'promising, absolutely powerful technology.' Although most people may have only heard of mRNA's use in science during the pandemic, scientists have been working with it for more than 20 years, she said. 'I think it's not just therapeutically very powerful, but also for basic science, for research, it opens up a lot of avenues,' she added. Potent antiretroviral drugs can now control HIV, suppressing it to undetectable levels. Still, minute amounts of the virus lie dormant in so-called reservoirs, waiting for an opportunity to resurge. A cure for HIV would involve ferreting out all of this virus and destroying it, a strategy that has been called 'shock and kill.' A significant hurdle is that the virus lies dormant in a particular type of immune cell, called a resting CD4 cell. Because these cells are inactive, they tend to be unresponsive to drugs. The few drugs scientists have previously used to rouse the virus in these cells were not specific to HIV and had unwanted side effects. 'It's fair to say the field's been a little bit stuck,' said Brad Jones, a viral immunologist at Weill Cornell Medicine who was not involved in the latest research. In 2022, Jones and his colleagues found that the immune boost from the mRNA vaccines awakened latent HIV in people living with the virus. (Other research has shown that mRNA vaccines also activated dormant viruses including Epstein Barr.) 'You get just a little bit of a gentle nudge with some of these vaccines, and it's enough to coax some of these latent viruses out so they can be killed,' Jones said. Lewin and her colleagues had for years experimented with other ways to activate HIV but had no luck in resting cells. Seeing the success of the COVID vaccines, which used lipid nanoparticles — tiny spheres of fat — containing mRNA, her team tested similar particles. They used the particles to deliver two different sets of molecules: Tat, which is adept at switching HIV on, and CRISPR, a tool that can 'edit' genes. The researchers showed that in resting immune cells from people living with HIV, the approach coaxed the virus out of dormancy. 'It's very, very hard to deal with these cells, so I think this really targeting the right population of cells is what makes this paper special,' Muecksch said. It's unclear whether the new approach can successfully awaken all of the dormant HIV in the body, and what side effects it might produce. Lewin said that 'mRNA will almost certainly have some adverse effects, as every drug does, but we will investigate that systematically, as we do for any new drug.' In this case, she said, side effects may be more acceptable to people living with HIV than having to take medications for the rest of their lives. The researchers plan to test the method in HIV-infected animals next, before moving into clinical trials. This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
