This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Edi

New ancient species of cockroach discovered in the UK

submited by

Style Pass

2024-10-31 02:30:05

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

A pair of paleontologists at The Open University, working with a colleague from the National Museum of Scotland, have identified a new species of ancient cockroach excavated from a site in Gloucestershire, U.K. In their paper published in the journal Papers in Palaeontology, Emily Swaby, Angela Coe and Andrew Ross describe where the fossil was found, its condition, and where it fits in the cockroach family tree.

Prior research has shown that cockroaches play an important role in cycling nutrients back into the environment in many types of ecosystems. They are also a major source of food for many species, including mammals, bird species and reptiles.

Prior research has also shown that cockroaches first appeared as far back as the Bashkirian Age (approximately 323 to 315 million years ago), and from that time onward have been constantly evolving and diversifying.