The knobbed setae on a small caterpillar in 45-55 million years old [Eocene] Baltic amber were studied and characterized as urticating, with evidence of liquid release implying the production of poisons. It is presumed that the caterpillar had been disturbed just prior to falling into the resin, as some of its setae showed defensive responses. The swollen tips of the setae are equipped with "trip hairs" and when disturbed, the tips release liquid deposits, some of which contain rod-like bodies. These setal responses to a disturbance are the first report of poisonous setal defense mechanisms in a fossil insect.

中文翻译：

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在波罗的海琥珀毛虫的有毒的刚毛。

研究了45-5500万年前[始新世]波罗的海琥珀上一条小毛毛虫上的节状刚毛，并将其定性为小便，并有液体释放的迹象暗示了有毒物质的产生。据推测，毛毛虫在掉入树脂之前就已经受到干扰，因为它的一些刚毛表现出防御反应。刚毛的肿胀尖端配备有“绊毛”，当受到干扰时，尖端会释放出液体沉积物，其中一些含有杆状体。这些对扰动的固定反应是化石昆虫中有毒的固定防御机制的首次报道。