World’s Oldest mosquito larva found trapped in 99-million-year-old amber reveals secrets of dinosaur-era life

Oldest Mosquito Larva Found in Amber Offers Rare Glimpse Into Dinosaur-Era Life (Image: Gondwana Research (2026))

A fossilised mosquito larva dating back 99 million years has been discovered trapped in amber, offering an extraordinary look into life during the time of Tyrannosaurus rex. The finding, which scientists say is a "rare stroke of luck", offers fresh insight into the ancient origins and evolution of mosquitoes.

Discovery of Fossils in Myanmar's Amber Mines

The fossil was found in the Kachin region of Myanmar and has been identified as a new species called Cretosabethes primaevus. A study published in Gondwana Research says this larva dates back to the Cretaceous period, a time in which giant dinosaurs still roamed the earth. This is the first known mosquito larva ever found preserved in amber from this era.

Zoologist André Amaral from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, who led the research, described the discovery as extraordinary. He explained that the fossilised larva closely resembles modern mosquitoes, unlike other fossil specimens from the same period that showed unusual traits now lost in living species.

A Rare Glimpse into Mosquito Evolution

Very fortunate circumstances were needed to preserve the fossil. A drop of tree resin must have dropped into a small pool of water and captured the aquatic larva before it hardened into amber. Amaral called it “a rare stroke of luck” that allowed scientists to study a creature so delicate and ancient.

The new species represents the Sabethini group, which includes some modern mosquito species found in tropical regions today. Like their modern relatives, these ancient larvae likely lived in small pools of water in tree hollows or between plant leaves.

Tracing the Origins of Mosquitoes

Previous studies on fossils had placed the evolutionary origin of mosquitoes in the Jurassic period, between 201 and 145 million years ago. However, DNA analyses suggest the insects may have appeared even earlier, more than 200 million years ago during the Triassic era.

“This new fossil indicates that extinct forms of mosquitoes coexisted with modern ones during the Cretaceous,” the researchers wrote. Amaral added that their results show mosquito larvae have changed little in nearly 100 million years, offering “strong evidence that their morphology has remained remarkably stable over time.”

The discovery of Cretosabethes primaevus not only helps refine the mosquito’s evolutionary timeline but also highlights the extraordinary role of amber in preserving traces of life from Earth’s deep past.