47 Million Year Old Cicada Fossil Uncovered in Germany Reveals Ancient Insect Evolution

A breathtaking window into prehistoric life has just been opened in Germany’s renowned Messel Pit, where scientists have uncovered a nearly perfectly preserved cicada fossil dating back 47 million years. This discovery not only excites paleontologists but also significantly enriches our comprehension of ancient insect evolution and biodiversity during the Eocene epoch. Nestled within the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Messel Pit, researchers excavated a fossilized cicada species named Eoplatypleura messelensis. Measuring 1 inch (26.5 mm) in body length and sporting a wingspan of about 2.7 inches (68.2 mm), this cicada shows wing patterns strikingly similar to those of modern-day members of the Platypleurini tribe. Dr. Sonja Wedmann, a leading entomologist at the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt who supervised the excavation, emphasized the rarity of such finds. According to the study’s lead author, Dr. Hui Jiang, the intricately patterned wings of Eoplatypleura messelensis are closely reminiscent of contemporary cicadas found in wooded and scrubland habitats.