Jurassic insect wore eggs on its legs ‘like grapes on vine’ scientists find

Findings make for earliest evidence of insect brood care ever observed

Pre-historic aqua bugs kept their eggs on arm’s length (Diying Huang)

Insects from the Jurassic period wore clusters of eggs on their legs that dangled like grapes from a vine, fossils show.

Scientists who uncovered the 160 million year old child protection strategy said it may be the earliest example of brood care in insects.

The method had never been observed before in any insect species extant or extinct, the scientists said.

Fossils of the Karataviella popovi – an extinct water boatman insect related to swimming bugs common in ponds, lakes and rivers today – showed the females would carry their incubating young on one of their middle left leg, known as the mesotibia.

This specific placement of the eggs showed up across the studied fossils and the scientists behind the study said it was the only known example of asymmetric egg-carrying.

The insect fossils were discovered near Daohugou village in northeastern China, a region that has proved something of a hotbed for fossils in recent decades.

Evidence of cluster of eggs can be seen on left leg (Diyung Huang)

Paeleontologists have made many of their most significant discoveries there – including feathered dinosaurs.

The fossils were 163.5 million years old, meaning they date to the middle of the Jurassic period which lasted from 201.3 million to 145.5 million years ago. The Jurassic is the middle period of the Mesozoic era, the age of the dinosaurs.

Scientists behind the study said: “Our discovery represents the earliest direct evidence of brood care among insects, pushing back by more than 38 million years.”

Artist’s impression shows Karataviella popovi with eggs on legs (Diying Huang)

They said their research shows the existence of diverse brooding strategies in Mesozoic insects.

Earlier research had examined pre-historic insect parenting, including a 2018 study which found mother cockroaches developed an egg case to carry their young at least 125 million years ago.

It was at the time the earliest evidence of insect brood care, predating other discoveries by 10 million years.

The study was published on Wednesday in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.