34-28 Million-Year-Old Emperor Butterfly Fossil Discovered in Exceptional Detail

Butterfly fossils are exceptionally rare, and discoveries that preserve intricate anatomical structures and wing patterns are virtually unheard of. An international research team from Sweden, the United States, and Germany, led by Dr. Hossein Rajaei of the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, has now described an extraordinarily well-preserved butterfly fossil, dating between 34 and 28 million years old. The find includes participation from Prof. Dr. Torsten Wappler of the Hessian State Museum Darmstadt, marking a milestone in paleontological research.