Abacwaningi bathole imibala yangempela yeqembu lezinambuzane zasendulo ezazibanjwe ku-amber eMyanmar eminyakeni engaba yizigidi ezingu-99 edlule. Izinambuzane zasendulo zifaka phakathi iminyovu ye-cuckoo, izimpukane zamanzi kanye nezimbungulu, konke okuza ngombala oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, onsomi kanye nohlaza.
Imvelo icebile ngokubona, kodwa izinsalela azivamile ukugcina ubufakazi bombala wokuqala wento ephilayo. Noma kunjalo, izazi ze-paleontologists manje zifuna izindlela zokukhetha imibala ezinsaleleni ezigcinwe kahle, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ama-dinosaur nezilwane ezihuquzelayo ezindizayo noma izinyoka zasendulo nezilwane ezincelisayo.
Ukuqonda umbala wezinhlobo eziphelile empeleni kubaluleke kakhulu ngoba kungatshela abacwaningi okuningi ngokuziphatha kwezilwane. Isibonelo, umbala ungasetshenziswa ukuheha abangane noma ukuxwayisa izilwane ezidla ezinye, futhi kusize ngisho nokulawula izinga lokushisa. Ukufunda kabanzi ngazo kungasiza abacwaningi ukuthi bafunde kabanzi ngezindawo zemvelo kanye nezindawo ezizungezile.
Kulolu cwaningo olusha, ithimba locwaningo elivela eNanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology (NIGPAS) ye-Chinese Academy of Sciences libheke amasampula angu-35 e-amber aqukethe izinambuzane ezigcinwe kahle. Lezi zinsalela zatholakala emayini ye-amber enyakatho yeMyanmar.
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“I-Amber iphakathi kweminyaka eyi-Cretaceous, cishe ineminyaka eyizigidi ezingu-99 ubudala, kusukela enkathini yegolide yama-dinosaur,” kusho umlobi oholayo uChenyan Cai esitatimendeni. “Ngokuyisisekelo iyi-resin ekhiqizwa ama-conifer asendulo akhula endaweni enemvula. Izitshalo nezilwane ezivaleleke ku-resin ejiyile ziyalondolozwa, ezinye zinokwethembeka okufana nokuphila.”
Imibala emvelweni ivame ukuhlukaniswa ngezigaba ezintathu ezibanzi: i-bioluminescence, imibala, kanye nemibala yesakhiwo. Izinsalela ze-amber zithole imibala yesakhiwo egciniwe evame ukuba bukhali futhi ihlaba umxhwele (kufaka phakathi imibala yensimbi) futhi ekhiqizwa izakhiwo ezincane ezisakazeka ngokukhanya ezitholakala ekhanda lesilwane, emzimbeni nasezithweni zaso.
Abacwaningi bapholisha izinsalela besebenzisa i-sandpaper kanye ne-diatomaceous earth powder. Enye i-amber igaywa ibe yizicucu ezincane kakhulu ukuze izinambuzane zibonakale kahle, kanti i-amber matrix ezungezile icishe ibonakale ekukhanyeni okukhulu. Izithombe ezifakiwe ocwaningweni zihlelwe ukuze kulungiswe ukukhanya nokuqhathanisa.
“Uhlobo lombala olugcinwe ku-amber yakudala lubizwa ngokuthi umbala wesakhiwo,” kusho uYanhong Pan, umbhali-mbhali walolu cwaningo, esitatimendeni. “Izakhiwo ezincane ezingaphezulu zisakaza amaza athile okukhanya,” “zikhiqiza imibala enamandla kakhulu,” kusho uPan, enezela ngokuthi “le ndlela ibangela imibala eminingi esiyaziyo ekuphileni kwethu kwansuku zonke.”
Kuzo zonke izinsalela, iminyovu ye-cuckoo ihlaba umxhwele kakhulu, inemibala eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, ophuzi obomvu, onsomi noluhlaza okotshani ekhanda, esifubeni, esiswini nasemilenzeni. Ngokusho kocwaningo, la maphethini emibala afana kakhulu neminyovu ye-cuckoo esaphila nanamuhla. Ezinye izinto ezivelele zifaka phakathi iminyovu eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka nonsomi kanye nezimpukane zamasosha eziluhlaza okotshani.
Besebenzisa i-electron microscopy, abacwaningi babonise ukuthi i-amber yakudala “inezakhiwo ezincane ze-exoskeleton ezisakazeka kahle ezigcinwe kahle.”
“Okubonile kwethu kusikisela ngokuqinile ukuthi ezinye izinsalela ze-amber zingagcina imibala efanayo nezinambuzane ezazibonakala lapho zisaphila eminyakeni engaba yizigidi ezingu-99 edlule,” kubhala abalobi bocwaningo. “Ngaphezu kwalokho, lokhu kuqinisekiswa iqiniso lokuthi imifino eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ensimbi ivame ukutholakala kuma-cuckoo wasps asekhona.”
UFermin Koop uyintatheli evela eBuenos Aires, e-Argentina. Uneziqu ze-MA kwezeMvelo neNtuthuko ezivela eNyuvesi yaseReading, e-UK, ogxile kwezobuntatheli bezemvelo kanye nokushintsha kwesimo sezulu.