324-Million-Year-Old Fossil Reveals How Insects Conquered Land

How Many Legs Is Too Many? Because This 324-Million-Year-Old Insect Had 24

Turns out, living on land instead of in the water doesn't need quite so many limbs.

324-million-year-old insect fossil offers evolutionary link between water, land

324-million-year-old fossil reveals how insects conquered land

Ancient fossils suggest insects conquered land through a long amphibious phase rather than making an abrupt jump from water to dry ground. A newly identified 324-million-year-old species still carried paddle-like abdominal limbs, revealing an evolutionary bridge between aquatic ancestors and modern six-legged insects.

Scientists discover 324-million-year-old amphibious insect fossil

An international research team led by the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences has analyzed a 324-million-year-old insect fossil, filling a critical gap in early insect evolution. The study reveals that early insects transitioned from water to land via a gradual, semi-aquatic stage.