insects

Insects
Insects are invertebrate animals of the class Insecta, the largest and (on land) most widely distributed taxon within the phylum Arthropoda. Insects are the most diverse group of animals on earth, with around 925,000 species described sofar - more than all other animal groups combined. Estimates of the total number of current species range from two to thirty million. The true Insecta are distinguished from all other arthropods by having exposed mouthparts and 11 abdominal segments. All insects have three pairs of legs. Most species, but not all, have wings as adults. Insects are the only invertebrate group to have developed flight.
Insects first appear in the fossil record at the beginning of the Late Carboniferous, about 350 million years ago. Insect species were already diverse and highly specialized by this time, with several different orders. Thus, the first insects probably emerged earlier in the Carboniferous period, or even in the Devonian. Many modern insect genera developed during the Cenozoic. Insects from this period on are often found preserved in amber, often in perfect condition.
Bibliography:
The fossils of Solnhofen, K.A. Frickhinger, Goldschneck Verlag (Korb, Germany), part I, 1994, p. 132-166 and part II, 1999, p. 47-68
Atlas der Pflanzen und Tiere im Baltischen Bernstein, W. Weitschat and W. Wichard, 1998, Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil (Munich, Germany)
Borror and DeLong's Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7^th ed., C. A. Triplehorn and N. F. Johnson, 2005, Thomas Brooks/Cole (Pacific Grove, California, US)
Evolution of the Insects, D. Grimaldi and M. S. Engel, 2005, Cambridge University Press (Cambridge, UK)

Mesuropetala koehleri #MK781 Very well preserved Dragonfly with exceptional detail. Upper Jurassic, 148 Million years old Eichstatt, Germany Size plate: 10 by 8 inch / 25 by 20cm Size fossil: 4 inch / 10 cm Price: Euro 1220.--
Mycetophiloidea spec.? and unknown larve #DI309 Mushroomfly and worm Old collection/Alt-fund, on small matrix plate Miocene, 20 million years old Randecker Maar, Esslingen, Germany Size worm: 1.32 inch / 3.3 cm Price : Euro 60.--
	Hymenoptra spec. #CI542 Old collection Oligocene, 30 million years old Cereste, France Size fossil: 0.6 inch / 1.5 cm Price : Euro 25.--
Culex spec. #MU543 Old collection. On small matrix plate Oligocene, 30 million years old Cereste, France Size fossil: 0.56 inch / 1.4 cm Price : Euro
	Culex spec. #MU544 Old collection. On small matrix plate Oligocene, 30 million years old Cereste, France Size fossil: 0.44 inch / 1.1 cm Price : Euro 30.--
Culex spec. #MU545 Old collection. On small matrix plate Oligocene, 30 million years old Cereste, France Size fossil: 0.52 inch / 1.3 cm Price : Euro 30.--

	Culex spec. (3) #MU546 Old collection Oligocene, 30 million years old Cereste, France Size fossil: 0.52 inch / 1.3 cm Size plate: 5.2 by 3.2 inch / 13 by 8 cm Price : Euro 80.--

Culex spec. #MU548 and other species (total 6) Old collection Oligocene, 30 million years old Cereste, France Size fossi rigthl: 0.28 inch / 0.7 cm Size plate: 8.8 by 4 inch / 22 by 10 cm Price : Euro 150.--

Libellula spec. and other #GI072 Old collection/Alt-fund, 10 Dragon fly larve, other 2 Fly(?) larve and 4 leaves. Both Sides Miocene, 20 million years old Randecker Maar, Esslingen, Germany Size plate: 8.8 by 6 inch / 22 by 15 cm Size biggest: 1.2 inch / 3 cm Price : Euro 240.--
	Libellula spec. #GI073 Old collection/Alt-fund, 4 Dragon fly larve, Miocene, 20 million years old Randecker Maar, Esslingen, Germany Size plate: 4 by 6 inch / 10 by 15 cm Size biggest: 1 inch / 2.5 cm Price : Euro 150.--
Libellula spec. and other #GI074 Old collection/Alt-fund, 1 Dragon fly larve, 2 other specimen Miocene, 20 million years old Randecker Maar, Esslingen, Germany Size plate: 1.6 by 1.4 inch / 4 by 3.5 cm Size biggest: 0.76 inch / 1.9 cm Price : Euro 100.--
	Mycetophiloidea spec.? #GI075 Old collection/Alt-fund, Mushroomfly? Miocene, 20 million years old Randecker Maar, Esslingen, Germany Size span: 0.32 inch / 0.8 cm Size plate: 1.8 by 1.4 inch / 4.5 by 3.5 cm Price : Euro 30.--
	Homoptera spec. #BI001 Tree/Plant Hopper Old collection, on small matrix plate. Santana formation. Lower Cretaceous, 110 Million years old Arraripe, Ceara, Brasil Size fossil: 0.36 inch / 0.9 cm Price: Euro 50.--
Gryllidae spec. #BI002 Ground Cricket Old collection, on small matrix plate. Santana formation. Lower Cretaceous, 110 Million years old Arraripe, Ceara, Brasil Size fossil: 0.6 inch / 1.5 cm Price: Euro 50.--
	Katydids spec. #BI003 Flying Grashopper (Orthoptera) Old collection, on small matrix plate. Santana formation. Lower Cretaceous, 110 Million years old Arraripe, Ceara, Brasil Size fossil: 0.56 inch / 1.4 cm Price: Euro 50.--
Gryllidae spec. #BI004 Ground Cricket Old collection, on small matrix plate. Santana formation. Lower Cretaceous, 110 Million years old Arraripe, Ceara, Brasil Size fossil: 0.44 inch / 1.1 cm Price: Euro 50.--
	Libellula spec. #RM395 Old collection/Alt-fund, Large Dragon fly larve Miocene, 20 million years old Randecker Maar, Esslingen, Germany Size body: 1 inch / 2.5 cm Size plate: 4 by 1.6 inch / 10 by 4 cm Price : Euro
Libellula spec. #RM396 Old collection/Alt-fund, Large Dragon fly larve Miocene, 20 million years old Randecker Maar, Esslingen, Germany Size body: 1 inch / 2.5 cm Size plate: 5.4 by 4 inch / 13.5 by 10 cm Price : Euro 90.--
Hymenoptra spec. #10 Old collection Oligocene, 30 million years old Cereste, France Size wingspan: 0.6 inch / 1.5 cm Size plate: 2.4 by 3.2 inch / 6 by 8 cm Price : Euro 35.--
	Hymenoptra spec. #11 Old collection Oligocene, 30 million years old Cereste, France Size wingspan: 0.6 inch / 1.5 cm Size plate: 1.2 by 1.2 inch / 3 by 3 cm Price :Euro 35.--
	Myrmicium spec. Wood - Wasp pos/neg Upper Jurassic, 148 Million years old Eichstatt, Germany Size fossil: 2.25 inch / 6 cm Price: Euro
	Isophlebia spec. Large Dragonfly #1 Upper Jurassic 148 million years old Eichstatt, Germany Size plate: 10.8 by 8.4 inch / 27 by 21 cm Size fossil: 5.75 inch / 14 cm (body size) Price: Euro
Pycnophlebia robusta Winged grasshopper Upper Jurassic 148 million years old Eichstatt, Germany Size plate: 10 by 9 inch / 25 by 22.5 cm Size fossil: 5 inch / 12.5 cm Price: Euro 135.--