Cretaceous amber of Ecuador unveils new insights into South America’s Gondwanan forests

Amber, a fossilised resin, became widespread during the Barremian ( ~ 122 Ma), marking the onset of the Cretaceous Resinous Interval (125–72 Ma). While common in the Northern Hemisphere, amber containing terrestrial arthropod inclusions had not previously been reported from the Mesozoic of South America. Here, we report the major occurrence of such amber from the early Albian ( ~ 112 Ma) Hollín Formation in Ecuadorian Napo region. Discovered at the Genoveva quarry, the amber is associated with coeval pollen and plant macrofossils deposited in fluvio-lacustrine environments. Geochemical analyses suggest araucariacean trees as the resin source, while palynological and macrofloral data indicate moderately diverse forests and the earliest known angiosperm leaf assemblage from north-western South America. Arthropods (hexapods and arachnids) representing at least six orders are well preserved. These findings provide direct evidence of a humid, resinous forest ecosystem and its arthropod fauna in equatorial Gondwana during the Cretaceous Resinous Interval. Cretaceous amber from the Ecuadorian Napo region provides exceptional evidence of a resinous forest ecosystem and diverse arthropod fauna in equatorial Gondwana, as revealed by integrated analyses of amber geochemistry and bioinclusions, palynology, and associated macrofloras.

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Publication Details

Journal
Communications Earth & Environment
Published
2025-09-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02625-2
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Fossil Insects in Amber
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
3.03

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article

Cretaceous amber of Ecuador unveils new insights into South America’s Gondwanan forests

Edwin‐Alberto Cadena, Marcelo de Araújo Carvalho, David Peris, Mónica M. Solórzano‐Kraemer et al.
1 citations
Communications Earth & Environment
Fossil Insects in Amber
3.03
article

Cretaceous amber of Ecuador unveils new insights into South America’s Gondwanan forests

Edwin‐Alberto Cadena, Marcelo de Araújo Carvalho, David Peris, Mónica M. Solórzano‐Kraemer, Maxime Santer, Xavier Delclòs, Enrique Peñalver, Carlos Alberto Jaramillo, Fabiany Herrera, Patricio Santamarina, Mónica R. Carvalho, Patrick Blomenkemper, Javier Román, Daniela Quiroz-Cabascango, Galo Carrera, Rafael Francisco Castaño-Cardona
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Amber, a fossilised resin, became widespread during the Barremian ( ~ 122 Ma), marking the onset of the Cretaceous Resinous Interval (125–72 Ma). While common in the Northern Hemisphere, amber containing terrestrial arthropod inclusions had not previously been reported from the Mesozoic of South America. Here, we report the major occurrence of such amber from the early Albian ( ~ 112 Ma) Hollín Formation in Ecuadorian Napo region. Discovered at the Genoveva quarry, the amber is associated with coeval pollen and plant macrofossils deposited in fluvio-lacustrine environments. Geochemical analyses suggest araucariacean trees as the resin source, while palynological and macrofloral data indicate moderately diverse forests and the earliest known angiosperm leaf assemblage from north-western South America. Arthropods (hexapods and arachnids) representing at least six orders are well preserved. These findings provide direct evidence of a humid, resinous forest ecosystem and its arthropod fauna in equatorial Gondwana during the Cretaceous Resinous Interval. Cretaceous amber from the Ecuadorian Napo region provides exceptional evidence of a resinous forest ecosystem and diverse arthropod fauna in equatorial Gondwana, as revealed by integrated analyses of amber geochemistry and bioinclusions, palynology, and associated macrofloras.

Communications Earth & EnvironmentVol. 6(1)
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (BR), Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (PA), University of Caldas (CO), Universidad de Alcalá (ES), University of Michigan (US), Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (ES), Swedish Museum of Natural History (SE), Field Museum of Natural History (US), Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt/M (DE), Institut Botànic de Barcelona (ES), Escuela Superior Politécnica Ecológica Amazónica (EC), National Polytechnic School (EC), Universitat de Barcelona (ES), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (AR), Universidad del Rosario (CO)
National Science Foundation, National Geographic Society, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Generalitat de Catalunya, Universitat de Barcelona, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, European Regional Development Fund, Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Openalex Percentile: Top 8%
Fossil Insects in Amber
3.03
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