A species called Paeleoagaricites antiquus on which there is a parasite Mycetophagites atrebora on which is a hyperparasite Entropezites Patricii

Ron Buckley, a registered nurse and amateur fossil hunter in Florence, Kentucky discovered this 100 million year old fungal hyperparasites encased in amber he obtained from Canada back in March 2006. Working with George Poinar, a zoologist at Oregon State University in Corvallis, they were able to determine the age and extreme rarity of the find.

preserved baby woolly mammothFor $100,000 US you can own this incredible find but you must promise to make it available to scientists for further study.

However the specimen is really of limited scientific value since there is currently no known method to extract the DNA and besides, the fungus can’t even be placed in any known modern phylogeny. Of course, the aesthetic value of the find can’t be overstated even though the amber measures only 3mm x 6 mm and the mushroom measures only 2mm.

Now, I wonder how this little bugger would taste after being lightly sauteed and served with some grilled baby woolly mammoth meat?

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