Abstract
A unique inclusion from Cretaceous (ca. 100 Ma) Burmese amber from Myanmar is described comprising a fossil hard tick (Parasitiformes: Ixodida: Ixodidae) wrapped in spider silk. Fossil ticks are very rare. Those from Burmese amber are the oldest examples of Ixodida recorded so far, and this is also the first time that this specific interaction between ticks and spiders has been documented in the fossil record. Spiders occasionally prey on ticks in modern ecosystems. However, those families which have been recorded catching ticks today lack a convincing Mesozoic fossil record and it is difficult to identify the producer of the fossil silk with any certainty. It is also possible that the tick was not part of the spider's usual prey spectrum, but accidentally entered the web and was subjected to immobilization wrapping as an initial precautionary attack.
Published Version
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