Microbiota in Burmese amber

Burmese amber is fossil resin dating to the early Late Cretaceous Cenomanian age recovered from deposits in the Hukawng Valley of northern Myanmar. It is known for being one of the most diverse Cretaceous age amber paleobiotas, containing rich arthropod fossils, along with uncommon vertebrate fossils and even rare marine inclusions. A mostly complete list of all taxa described up to the end of 2023 can be found in Ross (2024).^[1]

Amoebozoa

Dictyostelia

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Incertae sedis	†Paleoplastes	†Paleoplastes burmanica^[2]	Poinar & Vega	2021	A possible dictyostelid slime mould

Myxogastria

Family	Genus	species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Stemonotidaceae	Stemonitis	Sp.^[3]	N/A	"2019"	A myxogastrid slime mould	Stemonitis species

Incertae sedis

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Incertae sedis	†Endamoebites	†Endamoebites proterus^[4]	Poinar	2009	A "Sarcodina" gut Amoebozoa of Kachinitermopsis burmensis	Endamoebites proterus

Archamoebae

Entamoebida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Entamoebidae	Aff. Endamoeba	Aff. Endamoeba blattae^[5]	N/A	2020	A archamoebean Entamoebidae. Associated with Mesoblatta maxi and the ichnotaxon Blattocoprolites blattulidae

Apicomplexa

Aconoidasida

Haemosporida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Plasmodiidae	†Paleohaemoproteus	†Paleohaemoproteus burmacis^[6]	Poinar & Telford	2005	A plasmodiid apicomplexan	Paleohaemoproteus burmacis oocyst

Conoidasida

Eugregarinorida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Monoductidae	†Primigregarina	†Primigregarina burmanica^[7]	Poinar	2010	A eugregarinorid apicomplexen gut protozoan of blattodeans	Primigregarina burmanica

Ciliophora

Colpodea

Entamoebida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Colpodida	Aff. Colpodidae	Sp.^[5]	N/A	2020	A archamoebean Entamoebidae. Associated with Mesoblatta maxi and the ichnotaxon Blattocoprolites blattulidae

Litostomatea

Haptorida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Spathidiidae	Aff. Spathidium	Sp.^[5]	N/A	2020	A litostomatean haptorid. Associated with Mesoblatta maxi.

Nassophorea

Microthoracida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Spathidiidae	Aff. Drepanomonas	Sp.^[5]	N/A	2020	A microthoracid Microthoracid. Associated with Mesoblatta maxi.

Euglenozoa

Kinetoplastea

Trypanosomatida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Trypanosomatidae	†Paleoleishmania	†Paleoleishmania proterus	Poinar	2004	A trypanosomatid vector in Palaeomyia burmitis	Paleoleishmania proterus
Trypanosomatidae	†Paleotrypanosoma	†Paleotrypanosoma burmanicus^[8]	Poinar	2008	A trypanosomatid vector in Leptoconops nosopheris	Paleotrypanosoma burmanicus in Leptoconops nosopheris saliva

Pleurostomatida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Litonotidae	Aff. Litonotus	Aff. Litonotus cygnus^[5]	N/A	2020	A litostomatean pleurostomatid. Associated with Mesoblatta maxi.

Metamonada

Anaeromonadea

Oxymonadida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Oxymonadidae	†Microrhopalodites	†Microrhopalodites polynucleatis^[4]	Poinar	2009	An oxymonadid gut protozoan of Kachinitermopsis burmensis	Microrhopalodites polynucleatis
	Oxymonas	†Oxymonas gigantea^[9]	Poinar	2009	An oxymonadid gut protozoan of Blattarians
	Oxymonas	†Oxymonas protus^[4]	Poinar	2009	An oxymonadid gut protozoan of Kachinitermopsis burmensis	Oxymonas protus
	†Oxymonites	†Oxymonites gerus^[4]	Poinar	2009	An oxymonadid gut protozoan of Kachinitermopsis burmensis	Oxymonites gerus
	†Sauromonites	†Sauromonites katatonis^[4]	Poinar	2009	An oxymonadid gut protozoan of Kachinitermopsis burmensis	Sauromonites katatonis
Pyrsonymphidae	†Dinenymphites	Dinenymphites spiris^[4]	Poinar	2009	A pyrsonymphid gut protozoan of Kachinitermopsis burmensis	Dinenymphites spiris
Pyrsonymphidae	†Pyrsonymphites	Pyrsonymphites cordylinis^[4]	Poinar	2009	A pyrsonymphid gut protozoan of Kachinitermopsis burmensis	Pyrsonymphites cordylinis

Trichonymphea

Trichonymphida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
†Burmanymphidae	†Burmanymphus	†Burmanymphus cretacea^[9]	Poinar	2009	A burmanymphid gut protozoan of Blattarians
Teranymphidae	†Teranymphites	†Teranymphites rhabdotis^[4]	Poinar	2009	A teranymphid gut protozoan of Kachinitermopsis burmensis	Teranymphites rhabdotis
Trichonymphidae	†Trichonymphites	†Trichonymphites henis^[4]	Poinar	2009	A trichonymphid gut protozoan of Kachinitermopsis burmensis	Trichonymphites henis

Trichomonadea

Cristamonadida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Devescovinidae	†Devescovites	†Devescovites proteus^[9]	Poinar	2009	A devescovinid gut protozoan of Blattarians
Devescovinidae	†Foainites	†Foainites icelus^[9]	Poinar	2009	A devescovinid gut protozoan of Blattarians

Spirotrichonymphida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Holomastigotidae	†Spiromastigites	†Spiromastigites acanthodes^[4]	Poinar	2009	A holomastigotid gut protozoan of Kachinitermopsis burmensis	Spiromastigites acanthodes

Trichomonadida

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
incertae sedis	†Paleotrichomones	†Paleotrichomones burmanicus^[9]	Poinar	2009	A trichomonadid gut protozoan of Blattarians

Mollicutes

Entomoplasmatales

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Spiroplasmataceae	Spiroplasma	†Spiroplasma burmanica^[10]	Poinar	2020	A symbiotix helical bacteria. Hosted by an Alloeopterus anomeotarsus psyllid

"Opisthokonta"

Mesomycetozoea

Eccrinales

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Eccrinidae	†Paleocadus	†Paleocadus burmiticus^[11]	Poinar	2016	An eccrinacious Opisthokont

Proteobacteria

Alphaproteobacteria

Rickettsiales

Family	Genus	Species	Authority	Year described	Notes	image
Rickettsiaceae	†Palaeorickettsia	†Palaeorickettsia protera^[12]	Poinar	2014	A Rickettsiaceae in Cornupalpatum burmanicum vector	Palaeorickettsia protera

References

↑ Ross, A. J. (2024). "Complete checklist of Burmese (Myanmar) amber taxa 2023". Mesozoic. 1 (1): 21–57. doi:10.11646/mesozoic.1.1.4.
↑ Poinar, G. O. Jr; Vega, F. E. (2021). "Mid-Cretaceous cellular slime mold (Eukarya: Dictyostelia?) in Burmese amber". Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology. 33 (5): 712–715. Bibcode:2021HBio...33..712P. doi:10.1080/08912963.2019.1658095. S2CID 202029760.
↑ Rikkinen, J.; Grimaldi, D. A.; Schmidt, A. R. (2019). "Morphological stasis in the first myxomycete from the Mesozoic, and the likely role of cryptobiosis". Scientific Reports. 9 (1): 19730. Bibcode:2019NatSR...919730R. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-55622-9. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 6930221. PMID 31874965.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Poinar, G. O. Jr. (2009). "Description of an early Cretaceous termite (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) and its associated intestinal protozoa, with comments on their co-evolution". Parasites & Vectors. 2 (12) 12: 1–17. doi:10.1186/1756-3305-2-12. PMC 2669471. PMID 19226475.
1 2 3 4 5 Hinkelman, J.; Vršanská, L. (2020). "A Myanmar amber cockroach with protruding feces contains pollen and a rich microcenosis". The Science of Nature. 107 (2) 13. Bibcode:2020SciNa.107...13H. doi:10.1007/s00114-020-1669-y. PMID 32125545. S2CID 211730431.
↑ Poinar, G. O. Jr.; Telford, S. R. (2005). "Paleohaemoproteus burmacis gen. n., sp. n. (Haemospororida: Plasmodiidae) from an Early Cretaceous biting midge (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)". Parasitology. 131 (1): 79–84. doi:10.1017/S0031182005007298. PMID 16038399. S2CID 23877176.
↑ Poinar, G. O. Jr. (2010). "Primigregarina burmanica n. gen., n. sp., an early cretaceous gregarine (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinorida) parasite of a cockroach (Insecta: Blattodea)". Fossil Behavior Compendium: 54–56.
↑ Poinar, G. O. Jr (2008). "Leptoconops nosopheris sp. n. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and Paleotrypanosoma burmanicus gen. n., sp. n. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), a biting midge--trypanosome vector association from the Early Cretaceous". Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. 103 (5): 468–71. doi:10.1590/s0074-02762008000500010. hdl:1807/57526. PMID 18797760.
1 2 3 4 5 Poinar, G. O. Jr. (2009). "Early Cretaceous protist flagellates (Parabasalia: Hypermatigia: Oxymonada) of cockroaches (Insecta: Blattaria) in Burmese amber". Cretaceous Research. 30 (5): 1066–1072. Bibcode:2009CrRes..30.1066P. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2009.03.008.
↑ Poinar, G.Jr. (2020). "Spiroplasma burmanica sp. nov. (Spiroplasmataceae: Mollicutes) from a fossil plant louse (Psylloidea: Sternorrhyncha) in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber". Biosis: Biological Systems. 1 (4): 157–163. doi:10.37819/biosis.001.04.0071. S2CID 230598709.
↑ Poinar, G. O. Jr. (2016). "A mid-Cretaceous Eccrinales infesting a primitive wasp in Myanmar amber". Fungal Biology. 120 (12): 1537–1539. Bibcode:2016FunB..120.1537P. doi:10.1016/j.funbio.2016.08.001. PMID 27890089.
↑ Poinar, G. O. Jr. (2015). "Rickettsial-like cells in the Cretaceous tick, Cornupalpatum burmanicum (Ixodida: Ixodidae)". Cretaceous Research. 52, Part B: 623–627. Bibcode:2015CrRes..52..623P. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2014.02.007.

[1] Ross, A. J. (2024). "Complete checklist of Burmese (Myanmar) amber taxa 2023". Mesozoic. 1 (1): 21–57. doi:10.11646/mesozoic.1.1.4.

[Paleoplastes2021-2] Poinar, G. O. Jr; Vega, F. E. (2021). "Mid-Cretaceous cellular slime mold (Eukarya: Dictyostelia?) in Burmese amber". Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology. 33 (5): 712–715. Bibcode:2021HBio...33..712P. doi:10.1080/08912963.2019.1658095. S2CID 202029760.

[Stemonitis2019-3] Rikkinen, J.; Grimaldi, D. A.; Schmidt, A. R. (2019). "Morphological stasis in the first myxomycete from the Mesozoic, and the likely role of cryptobiosis". Scientific Reports. 9 (1): 19730. Bibcode:2019NatSR...919730R. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-55622-9. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 6930221. PMID 31874965.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)

[Kalotermitidae2009-4] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Poinar, G. O. Jr. (2009). "Description of an early Cretaceous termite (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) and its associated intestinal protozoa, with comments on their co-evolution". Parasites & Vectors. 2 (12) 12: 1–17. doi:10.1186/1756-3305-2-12. PMC 2669471. PMID 19226475.

[Mesoblatta2020-5] 1 2 3 4 5 Hinkelman, J.; Vršanská, L. (2020). "A Myanmar amber cockroach with protruding feces contains pollen and a rich microcenosis". The Science of Nature. 107 (2) 13. Bibcode:2020SciNa.107...13H. doi:10.1007/s00114-020-1669-y. PMID 32125545. S2CID 211730431.

[Paleohaemoproteus2005-6] Poinar, G. O. Jr.; Telford, S. R. (2005). "Paleohaemoproteus burmacis gen. n., sp. n. (Haemospororida: Plasmodiidae) from an Early Cretaceous biting midge (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)". Parasitology. 131 (1): 79–84. doi:10.1017/S0031182005007298. PMID 16038399. S2CID 23877176.

[Primigregarina2010-7] Poinar, G. O. Jr. (2010). "Primigregarina burmanica n. gen., n. sp., an early cretaceous gregarine (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinorida) parasite of a cockroach (Insecta: Blattodea)". Fossil Behavior Compendium: 54–56.

[Paleotrypanosoma2008-8] Poinar, G. O. Jr (2008). "Leptoconops nosopheris sp. n. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and Paleotrypanosoma burmanicus gen. n., sp. n. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), a biting midge--trypanosome vector association from the Early Cretaceous". Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. 103 (5): 468–71. doi:10.1590/s0074-02762008000500010. hdl:1807/57526. PMID 18797760.

[Cockroach2009-9] 1 2 3 4 5 Poinar, G. O. Jr. (2009). "Early Cretaceous protist flagellates (Parabasalia: Hypermatigia: Oxymonada) of cockroaches (Insecta: Blattaria) in Burmese amber". Cretaceous Research. 30 (5): 1066–1072. Bibcode:2009CrRes..30.1066P. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2009.03.008.

[Spiroplasma_2020-10] Poinar, G.Jr. (2020). "Spiroplasma burmanica sp. nov. (Spiroplasmataceae: Mollicutes) from a fossil plant louse (Psylloidea: Sternorrhyncha) in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber". Biosis: Biological Systems. 1 (4): 157–163. doi:10.37819/biosis.001.04.0071. S2CID 230598709.

[Paleocadus2016-11] Poinar, G. O. Jr. (2016). "A mid-Cretaceous Eccrinales infesting a primitive wasp in Myanmar amber". Fungal Biology. 120 (12): 1537–1539. Bibcode:2016FunB..120.1537P. doi:10.1016/j.funbio.2016.08.001. PMID 27890089.

[Palaeorickettsia2014-12] Poinar, G. O. Jr. (2015). "Rickettsial-like cells in the Cretaceous tick, Cornupalpatum burmanicum (Ixodida: Ixodidae)". Cretaceous Research. 52, Part B: 623–627. Bibcode:2015CrRes..52..623P. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2014.02.007.

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