Gallery: Prehistoric Colors Preserved in Near-Perfect Beetle Fossils
01leaf-beetle-messel
Leaf Beetle, Messel ------------------- From the fossil pits in Messel, Germany. Approximately 47 million years old.
02leaf-beetle-messel-microscope-view
Leaf Beetle, Messel (Microscope View) ------------------------------------- Scanning electron microscope view of the beetle's shell. The arrow points to a pore. Scale bar corresponds to 2 micrometers in length.
03leaf-beetle-messel-2
Leaf Beetle, Messel #2 ---------------------- From the fossil pits in Messel, Germany. Approximately 47 million years old.
04leaf-beetle-messel-2-microscope-view
Leaf Beetle, Messel #2 (Microscope View) ---------------------------------------- Scanning electron microscope cross-section of the beetle's shell. Scale bar corresponds to 1 micrometer in length.
05leaf-beetle-eckfeld
Leaf Beetle, Eckfeld -------------------- From Eckfeld, Germany. Approximately 40 million years old.
06leaf-beetle-eckfeld-microscope-view
Leaf Beetle, Eckfeld (Microscope View) -------------------------------------- Scanning electron micrograph of the outer (ep) and inner (ex) shell surface. Arrow points to pore. Scale bar corresponds to 2 micrometers.
07leaf-beetle-clarkia
Leaf Beetle, Clarkia -------------------- Leaf beetle from the Clarkia fossil beds in Idaho. Approximately 15 million years old.
08leaf-beetle-clarkia-microscope-view
Leaf Beetle, Clarkia (Microscope View) -------------------------------------- Transmission electron micrograph of a vertical section of the beetle's shell. Scale bar corresponds to 1 micrometer.
09leaf-beetle-clarkia-2
Leaf Beetle, Clarkia #2 ----------------------- Leaf beetle from the Clarkia fossil beds in Idaho. Approximately 15 million years old.
10leaf-beetle-clarkia-2-microscope-view
Leaf Beetle, Clarkia #2 (Microscope View) ----------------------------------------- Scanning electron micrograph of vertical shell section. Scale bar corresponds to 2 micrometers.
