Ancient amphibious stem-insect fossil helps fill the hexapod gap

Re-examination of a difficult fossil using cross-polarized light imaging and phylogenetic reconstruction has identified Chosha praecursor as a probable early-diverging insect. The find helps bridge the longstanding "hexapod gap" in the fossil record and sheds light on how insects first colonised land. The results suggest early insect ancestors may have had an amphibious lifestyle.