Huge Jurassic Fleas May Have Fed On Dinosaurs 85
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by
samzenpus
from the we're-gonna-need-a-bigger-collar dept.
from the we're-gonna-need-a-bigger-collar dept.
ananyo writes "Primitive fleas were built to sup on dinosaur blood in the Jurassic period, more than 150 million years ago. The potential host–parasite relationship has been uncovered thanks to a set of beautifully preserved fossils found in China. Today, the varied group of parasitic insects known as fleas frequently infests mammals and birds. But little is known about their origins. Researchers have now extended the history of the parasites by at least 60 million years. Whereas modern fleas range from 1 to 10 millimeters in length, the Jurassic and Cretaceous species were between 8 and 21 millimeters. The Jurassic and Cretaceous fleas also lacked the spring-legged, jumping specializations of modern species, and their siphoning mouthparts were armored structures studded with saw-like projections, unlike the smooth jaws of modern fleas."
Dino (Score:5, Funny)
I bet Fred Flintstone spent a fortune on Dino Advantix II
Re:Big (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Big (Score:4, Funny)
Fast food meals?
Oh look, the monkey is capable of primitive thinking!
NY Bedbugs (Score:2, Funny)
You think that's bad. You haven't seen NY Bedbugs. Sure, they look like a normal bedbug. But these guys really take in blood. When finished, they waddle off the size of a basketball and still manage to ninja themselves out of site. You know you've been bitten when you feel light headed. But you know what the worst part of it is? You don't get paid for that "blood donation" and they always come back for more.
Re:Let me be the first to suggest... (Score:4, Funny)
Not that phone box. The other one.