Ancient Monster Insect Offers Halloween Inspirations

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Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered a new, real-world “monster” – what they are calling a “unicorn” fly – that lived about 100 million years ago and is being described as a new family, genus, and species of fly: Cascoplecia insolitis, from the Latin “cascus” for old and “insolates” for strange and unusual. Preserved in Burmese amber, the fly has a small horn emerging from the top of its head, topped by three eyes. Information and photos are available here.