Buzz
For those with even a passing interest in paleontology (think: fans of Jurassic Park), it’s common knowledge that ancient creatures trapped in sap were typically small insects. That’s why researchers were astonished to uncover an entire salamander encased in amber during a dig in the Caribbean.
The salamander seems to have lost one of its limbs to a predator before becoming ensnared in sticky resin over 20 million years ago. Beyond this, little is known about the creature, especially since salamanders were not previously thought to have inhabited the Caribbean at any time in history.
Salamander fossils are exceptionally rare, and this marks the first instance of one being discovered in amber. The find occurred in an amber mine located in the northern mountain range of the Dominican Republic. Researchers have named the species Palaeoplethodon hispaniolae, a member of the Plethodontidae family, which is more commonly found 1,400 miles to the north in the Appalachian Mountains.
Researchers hypothesize that the species initially arrived on the island by traversing a land bridge during periods of lower sea levels, or perhaps even by drifting on floating debris like miniature adventurers. Although the exact cause of their extinction remains unclear, it appears they struggled to evade the slow, sticky resin that ultimately preserved them.
