Scientists are always finding new and surprising things about animals, both from long ago and from today. One report, published in the paleontology journal Palaeobiodiversity and Paleoenvironments, details the discovery of a 15-million-year-old insect fossil that provides an unprecedented look at New Zealand's ancient ecosystem. In parallel, a behavioral study released on January 20, 2025, in the esteemed journal Current Biology, confirms a peculiar social habit among chimpanzees, offering new insights into the evolution of group dynamics.
A research team from the University of Otago has announced the identification of a new genus and species of whitefly, Miotetraleurodes novaezelandiae, from a fossil found in Central Otago, New Zealand. The discovery was made at the Hindon Maar fossil site, a location renowned for its exceptional preservation of Miocene-era life.
The fossil, dating back approximately 15 million years, is of a puparia—the hardened final stage of an insect's youth before it becomes an adult. Measuring a minuscule 1.5 by 1.25 millimeters, the specimen was found immaculately preserved, still attached to the underside of the fossilized leaf it once called home. According to the study's authors, this level of preservation is extraordinarily rare. Dr. J. Drohojowska, a lead researcher on the project, stated that this is not only the first fossil record of the whitefly family in New Zealand but also represents only the third discovery of such fossilized puparia in the entire world. This find is scientifically significant as it provides the first concrete proof that these insects inhabited the ancient forests of New Zealand's South Island. Furthermore, the fossil's clear detail, including visible body segmentation, offers a crucial data point for scientists tracing the evolutionary changes in these insects over millions of years.
The Science Behind a Synchronized Chimpanzee Habit
Meanwhile, shifting focus from ancient fossils to the behavior of our closest living relatives, a team at Kyoto University's Kumamoto Sanctuary in Japan has published compelling evidence of "contagious urination" in chimpanzees. The study, detailed in the January 20, 2025, edition of Current Biology, sought to scientifically validate long-held anecdotal observations. Over a period of intensive research, the team conducted more than 600 hours of observation, meticulously documenting 1,328 separate urination events among a community of 20 chimpanzees. The statistical analysis of this data confirmed a strong pattern: a chimpanzee was significantly more likely to urinate within two minutes of observing another chimp do so.
The research uncovered several key factors influencing this behavior. The tendency was strongest among chimps in close physical proximity, and it was also impacted by social hierarchy, with lower-ranking chimps more likely to urinate after a higher-ranking individual. However, in a fascinating contrast to contagious yawning, which is often linked to empathy and social bonds, the researchers found no correlation between urination synchrony and the friendship level between the chimpanzees.
The study proposes two primary hypotheses for this behavior. It could be a form of "state-matching" that enhances group cohesion and prepares the animals for collective action. Alternatively, it may serve as a predator-confusion strategy, where concentrating the scent of urine in a single location makes it more difficult for a predator to single out and track an individual chimp.
