Ampezzoa

Ampezzoa triassica Temporal range: Late Triassic Carnian PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Trombidiformes
Superfamily:	Eriophyoidea
Genus:	†Ampezzoa
Species:	† A. triassica
Binomial name
Ampezzoa triassica Schmidt et al., 2012

Ampezzoa triassica is an extinct species of gall mite described from the Carnian of northeastern Italy. It lived as a parasite of Cheirolepidiaceae trees. The only known specimen, preserved in amber, is 0.124 mm long. It resembles very much, in body shape and wax secretions, the contemporary gall mite Cymeda zealandica. ^[1] Along with Triasacarus fedelei and an unnamed dipteran, it is the oldest arthropod found enclosed in amber. ^[2]

Ampezzoa had a vagrant lifestyle on the surface of its host. It secreted waxy filaments, as a defense against predation and dessiccation. ^[1]

References

1. Schmidt, A. R.; Jancke, S.; Lindquist, E. E.; Ragazzi, E.; Roghi, G.; Nascimbene, P. C.; Schmidt, K.; Wappler, T.; Grimaldi, D. A. (2012). "Arthropods in amber from the Triassic Period". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109 (37): 14796. doi:10.1073/pnas.1208464109.
2. "Oldest Occurrence of Arthropods Preserved in Amber: Fly, Mite Specimens Are 100 Million Years Older Than Previous Amber Inclusions". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 22 May 2013.