Re: insects

[Flyinggoat@aol.com]

> Are insects fossilized the same way that dinosaurs are?
>
>>The quick answer is no.  Insects tend to have a chitin skeleton 
>>whereas the dinosaur has a carbonate - phosphate skeleton.  The 
>>processes involved in the fossilisation may allow the >>preservation of 
>>the cuticle of the insect (skeleton) as a little altered organic  
>>remain.  Sometimes the pore spaces within the cuticle will >>become 

There are also the 'tar insects' from La Brea.  Are there similar tar insect
fossils from anywhere else?  Any older?

Betty Cunningham(Flyinggoat@aol.com)