Brief

Ancient Planthopper Fossil Shows Unprecedented Flexible Mouthparts

A new Cretaceous insect species, Cretodorus noonoo, had a unique feeding organ never seen in modern relatives.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sun, 18 Oct 2026 15:44:53 GMT

Researchers have described a 99‑million‑year‑old planthopper, named Cretodorus noonoo, whose elongated mouthparts were folded like a bendy straw, allowing them to flex without collapsing, according to scitechdaily.com.

What happened

The insect was trapped in tree resin that later hardened into amber from the Kachin region of Myanmar. The amber preserved the insect’s mouthparts, which measured nearly twice the length of its body. High‑resolution micro‑computed tomography revealed dense crosswise folds along the organ, a structure not observed in living planthoppers.

What the reports add

Scitechdaily notes that the fossil belongs to the extinct family Neazoniidae, an ancient lineage of planthoppers. Thirteen specimens from this family were examined, all showing the same folded morphology. The study, published in the journal Insects, contrasts the ancient mouthparts with those of modern relatives, which are simple needles used for piercing plant tissue.

What was said

The article quotes the study’s lead author, who explains that the folds likely acted like corrugations in a drinking straw, preventing the organ from kinking while it moved through narrow bark cracks. The researchers also state that no pollen was found on the fossils, suggesting the insects were not pollinators.

How it came about

The discovery follows a series of recent fossil studies reported by Felo News, including a new Egyptian crocodile species and a reinterpreted Scottish fossil, highlighting how advanced imaging techniques are reshaping understanding of ancient ecosystems.

Key facts

• The species is named Cretodorus noonoo and dates to about 99 million years ago. (scitechdaily.com)
• Its mouthparts were nearly twice the length of its body and folded like a bendy straw. (scitechdaily.com)
• Micro‑CT scans showed dense crosswise folds that likely prevented collapse during flexing. (scitechdaily.com)
• Thirteen specimens from the extinct family Neazoniidae were examined in the study. (scitechdaily.com)
• No pollen was found on the fossils, indicating the insects were probably not pollinators. (scitechdaily.com)

Sources

• [1] scitechdaily.com — originally reported as “Scientists Discover a 99-Million-Year-Old Insect With a Bizarre Feature Never Seen in Living Species”