Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T14:52:44.989Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

CANADIAN AMBER — A PALEONTOLOGICAL TREASURE-CHEST

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Abstract

Amber of Cretaceous Age from Canada is an exceptionally fine source of well-preserved fossils of a wide variety of insects and related animals. Since these fossils can yield much information about the forms of, and conditions for, life in the Cretaceous Period some 75 million years ago, they represent a highly interesting and valuable scientific resource.The history, relative abundance, nature, biological origin, and significance of Canadian amber is reviewed and related to similar aspects of European or Baltic amber. Reported occurrences of amber in Canada (about 50) are assembled and some 350 arthropod inclusions discovered in the amber collections made thus far are tabulated, with respect to their origins, classification, and present location. The article contains one map, two tables, and 16 figures.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1969

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ander, K. 1942. Insectenfauna des Baltischen Bernstein nebst damit verknüpften Zoogeographischen Problemen. Acta Univ. lund. (Lunds Univ. Arsskr. N. F. Avd.) 38: 138.Google Scholar
Andrée, K. 1951. Der Bernstein. Das Bernsteinland und sein Leben. Kosmos, Stuttgart.Google Scholar
Bachofen-Echt, A. 1949. Der Bernstein und seine Enschlüsse. Springer-Verlag, Wien.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bauerman, H. 1860. On the geology of the Southeastern part of Vancouver Island. J. geol. Soc. Lond. 16: 198202.10.1144/GSL.JGS.1860.016.01-02.29CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boesel, M. W. 1937. Order Diptera, family Chironomidae. In Carpenter, et al. 1937.Google Scholar
Bostock, H. S. 1952. Geology of Northwest Shakwak Valley, Yukon Territory. Mem. geol. Surv. Brch Can., No. 267.Google Scholar
Brues, C T. 1937. Order Hymenoptera, superfamilies Ichneumonoidea, Serphoidea and Chalcidoidea. In Carpenter, et al. 1937.Google Scholar
Buddhue, J. D. 1935. Mexican amber. Rocks Miner. 10: 170171.Google Scholar
Buddhue, J. D. 1938 a. Some new carbon minerals-kansasite described. Mineralogist 6: 7–8, 2022.Google Scholar
Buddhue, J. D. 1938 b. Jelinite and associated minerals. Mineralogist 6: 910.Google Scholar
Camsell, C. 1907. Preliminary report on a part of the Similkameen District, British Columbia. Spec. Rept. Geol. Surv. Brch Can. Publ. 986.Google Scholar
Carpenter, F. M. 1934. Fossil insects in Canadian Amber. Univ. Toronto Stud. geol. Ser. 36.Google Scholar
Carpenter, F. M., Folsom, J. W., Essig, E. O., Kinsey, A. C., Brues, C. T., Boesel, M. W., and Ewing, H. E.. 1937. Insects and arachnids from Canadian amber. Univ. Toronto Stud. geol. Ser. 40.Google Scholar
Christie, R. L. 1962. Northeastern Ellesmere Island, District of Franklin. Geol. Surv. Can. Dep. Mines Tech. Surv., Paper 62–10.Google Scholar
Christie, R. L. 1964. Geological reconnaissance of northeastern Ellesmere Island, District of Franklin. Mem. geol. Surv. Brch Can., No. 331.Google Scholar
Cooper, K. W. 1964. The first fossil tardigrade: Beorn leggi Cooper, from Cretaceous amber. Psyche, Camb. 71: 4148.10.1155/1964/48418CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dawson, G. M. 1877. Prog. Rep. Geol. Surv. Brch Can. 1875–76.Google Scholar
Dawson, G. M. 1881. Report on boring observations on the Souris River Valley. In Report by Selwyn, A. R. C.. Prog. Rep. Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Can. 1879–80, Appendix 1.Google Scholar
Dawson, G. M. 1887. Report on an exploration on the Yukon District, N.W.T. and adjacent northern portion of British Columbia. A. Rep. geol. Nat. Hist. Surv. Can. 1887–88, Vol. 3, Pt. 1, Rep. B.Google Scholar
Dawson, G. M. 1889. The mineral wealth of British Columbia with an annotated list of the localities of minerals of economic value. A. Rep. geol. nat. Hist. Surv. Can. 1887–88, Vol. 3, Pt. 2, Rep. R.Google Scholar
Durham, J. W. 1957. Amber through the ages. Pacif. Discovery (Calif. Acad Sci.) 10: 35.Google Scholar
Essig, E. O. 1937. Order Homoptera, family Aphididae. In Carpenter, et al. 1937.Google Scholar
Ewing, H. E. 1937. Arachnida, order Acarina. In Carpenter, et al. 1937.Google Scholar
Folinsbee, R. E., Baadsgaard, H., Cumming, G. L. and Nascimbene, J.. 1964. Radiometric dating of the Bearpaw Sea. Bull. Am. Ass. Petrol. Geol. 48: 525.Google Scholar
Folsom, J. W. 1937. Insecta, Order Collembola. In Carpenter, et al. 1937.Google Scholar
Harrington, B. J. 1878. Notes on miscellaneous rocks and minerals addressed to A. R. C. Selwyn. Prog. Rep. Geol. Surv. Brch Can. 1876–77.Google Scholar
Harrington, B. J. 1891. On the so-called amber of Cedar Lake, North Saskatchewan, Canada. Am. J. Sci. 3rd Ser., 42 (Art. 32): 331335.Google Scholar
Heie, O. E. 1967. Studies on fossil aphids (Homoptera: Aphidoidea). Spolia Zool. Mus. haun. 26: 1273.Google Scholar
Hennig, W. 1964. Die Dipteren-Familie Sciadoceridae im Baltischen Bernstein (Diptera: Cyclorrhapha Aschiza). Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. 127: 110.Google Scholar
Hennig, W. 1965. Die Acalyptratae des Baltischen Bernsteins und ihre Bedeutung für die Erforschung der phylogenetischen Entwicklung dieser Dipteren-Gruppe. Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. 145: 1215.Google Scholar
Hennig, W. 1966 a. Fannia scalaris Fabricius, eine rezente Art in Baltischen Bernstein? (Diptera: Muscidae). Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. 150: 112.Google Scholar
Hennig, W. 1966 b. Dixidae aus dem Baltischen Bernstein, mit Bemerkungen über einige andere fossile Arten aus der Gruppe Culicoidea (Diptera: Nematocera). Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. 153: 116.Google Scholar
Hennig, W. 1966 c. Conopidae im Baltischen Bernstein (Diptera: Cyclorrhapha). Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. 154: 124.Google Scholar
Hennig, W. 1966 d. Einege Bemerkungen über die Typen der von Griebel 1862 angelblich aus dem Bernstein beschriebenen Insektenarten. Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. 162: 17.Google Scholar
Hennig, W. 1966 e. Spinnenparasiten der Familie Acroceridae im Baltischen Bernstein. Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. 165: 121.Google Scholar
Hennig, W. 1966 f. Bombyliidae im Kopal und im Baltischen Bernstein (Diptera: Brachycera). Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. 166: 120.Google Scholar
Hoffman, G. G. 1890. Annotated list of the minerals occurring in Canada. A. Rep. geol. nat. Hist. Surv. Brch Can. 1888–89, Vol. 4 (n.s.), Rep. T.Google Scholar
Holland, G. P. 1951. Insects in Canadian amber. Newsl. ent. Div. Dept. Agric. Can. Google Scholar
Holtved, Erik. 1954. Archaeological investigations in the Trule District. III. Nugdlit and Comer's Midden. Meddr Grnland 146: 1135.Google Scholar
Hume, G. S. 1954. The Lower Mackenzie River area, Northwest Territories and Yukon. Mem. geol. Surv. Brch. Can., No. 273.Google Scholar
Hurd, P. D., Smith, R. F., and Usinger, R. L.. 1958. Proc. X int. Congr. Ent. (1956), Vol. 1.Google Scholar
Johnston, A. A. 1915. A list of Canadian mineral occurrences. Mew. geol. Surv. Brch Can., No. 74.Google Scholar
Johnston, W. A. 1923. Geology of Fraser River Delta map area. Mem. geol. Surv. Brch Can., No. 135.Google Scholar
Kinsey, A. C. 1937. Order Hymenoptera, family Cynipidae. In Carpenter, et al. 1937.Google Scholar
Klotz, O. J. 1892. Survey of amber locations. In Rep. 7, Report of Otto J. Koltz to E. Deville. A. Rep. Dept. Interior 1891 (No. 13–1891), part II.Google Scholar
Langenheim, R. L. Jr., Smiley, C. J. and Gray, Jane. 1960. Cretaceous amber from the Arctic coastal plain of Alaska. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 71: 13451356.10.1130/0016-7606(1960)71[1345:CAFTAC]2.0.CO;2CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langenheim, R. L. Jr., Buddhue, J. D. and Jelinek, G.. 1965. Age and occurrence of the fossil resins, bacalite, kansasite and jelinite. J. Paleont. 39: 283287.Google Scholar
Larsson, S. G. 1962. The Copenhagen collection of amber fossils. Ent. Meddr 31: 323326.Google Scholar
Larsson, S. G. 1965. Reflections on Baltic amber inclusions. Ent. Meddr 34: 135142.Google Scholar
Legg, W. M. 1942. Collection, preparation and statistical study of fossil insects from chemawinite. Senior Thesis, Dept. of Biol., Princeton Univ. Google Scholar
Ley, W. 1951. Dragons in amber. Further adventures of a romantic naturalist. Viking Press, New York.Google Scholar
Logan, W. 1909. II. Geological position and character of the oil-shale deposits of Canada. In Ells, R. W., Sep. Rep. geol. Surv. Brch Can. Publ. 1107.Google Scholar
Maxwell, M. S. 1960. An archeological analysis of Eastern Grant Land, Ellesmere Island, N.W.T. Bull. nat. Mus. Can., No. 170 (Anthropological Ser. 49).Google Scholar
McAlpine, J. F., and Martin, J. E. H.. 1966. Systematics of Sciadoceridae and relatives with descriptions of two new genera from Canadian amber and erection of family Ironomyiidae (Diptera: Phoridae). Can. Ent. 99: 225236.10.4039/Ent99225-3CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richards, W. R. 1966. Systematics of fossil aphids from Canadian amber (Homoptera: Aphididae). Can. Ent. 98: 746760.10.4039/Ent98746-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sanderson, M. W., and Farr, T. H.. 1960. Amber with insect and plant inclusions from the Dominican Republic. Science, N.Y. 131: 1313.10.1126/science.131.3409.1313CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tornquist, A 1910. Geologie von Ostpreussen. Gebrüder Borntraeger, Berlin.Google Scholar
Tyrrell, J. B. 1892. Report on northwestern Manitoba with portions of the adjacent districts of Assiniboia and Saskatchewan. A. Rep. geol. Surv. Brch Can. 5 (n.s.) Pt. 1, Rep. E.Google Scholar
Tyrrell, J. B. 1893. Summary report on the operations of the Geological Survey for the year 1890. In Selwyn, A. R. C., A. Rep. geol. Surv. Brch Can., Vol. 5 (n.s.), Pt. 1: Rep. A.Google Scholar
Usinger, R. L., and Smith, R. F.. 1957. Arctic amber. Pacif. Discovery (Calif. Acad. Sci.) 10: 1519.Google Scholar
Walker, T. L. 1934. Chemawinite or Canadian amber. Univ. Toronto Stud. geol. Ser. 36.Google Scholar
Wichterman, R. 1953. The biology of Paramecium. Blackiston, New York.Google Scholar