The newly discovered ancient wasp, named Sirenobethylus charybdis, lived nearly 99 million years ago and is named after Charybdis, a sea monster from Greek mythology.

This unique wasp features an abdominal structure reminiscent of a Venus flytrap, which may have been used to trap and immobilize its fast-moving insect hosts.

Researchers, led by Qiong Wu from Capital Normal University, suggest that the abdomen was likely utilized for grasping hosts during the egg-laying process.

Sixteen adult female specimens were found, all exhibiting this unusual abdominal morphology, which may have allowed them to restrain live hosts while laying eggs.

3D X-ray imaging revealed that these flaps could open and close, enhancing their capability to trap other insects effectively.

All known specimens of S. charybdis are female, raising questions about the role of the abdominal structure in mating, especially since no male specimens have been identified.

The exact timeline of S. charybdis's extinction is unknown, but the findings indicate that parasitoid behaviors were developing among early Chrysidoidea species during the mid-Cretaceous period.

The study detailing this discovery was co-authored by researchers from the Natural History Museum of Denmark, Capital Normal University, and the Beijing Xiachong Amber Museum, and published in BMC Biology.

Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Sirenobethylus is distinct from modern insects, suggesting a greater diversity of parasitoid strategies among early Chrysidoidea compared to current species.

Manuel Brazidec from the University of Rennes emphasized the significance of S. charybdis as a novel evolutionary solution for parasitoid insects in immobilizing hosts for reproduction.

The amber containing the wasp was sourced from Myanmar's Kachin region, raising ethical concerns about its acquisition following Myanmar's military coup in 2021.

Lars Vilhelmsen from the Natural History Museum of Denmark described S. charybdis as unlike any known wasp or insect today, highlighting its unusual morphology.