Mastotermes electrodominicus

Dominican amber is a fossil resin of plant origin that comes from the legume Hymenaea protera, dated between 25 and 40 million years ago.

Dominican amber differs from Baltic amber by being more transparent, and by having a greater number of fossil remains.

This piece contains a adult winged termite belonging to the order Isoptera. Its scientific name refers to the fact that adult termites have two pairs of wings of equal size. They are a group of social insects that they build termite mounds. Termites feed on cellulose contained in the wood and its derivatives, which degrade thanks to the action of protozoa his digestive system, with those who live in symbiosis. Winged reproductives are those that can produce new queens and kings. The winged ones leave the colony en masse, when they meet, mating occurs. The winged ones lose their wings immediately or following contact with the opposite sex.