Morrisonnepa jurassica expands our knowledge about Jurassic nepomorph aquatic bugs during this era. And this site suggests that the area included small lakes, and that additional fossil beds like this may yet be discovered.

Scientists determined that Morrisonnepa was in the hemipteran insect group Nepomorpha (the “true water bugs”) and is most similar to the modern family Belostomatidae (aka, the “giant water bugs”). The modern insects have a stinging proboscis and prominent foreleg pincers they use to latch onto and attack prey. This family has wings and can fly, but nepomorphs also hunt underwater, primarily in fresh water habitats with species around the world. They have a painful bite, but prefer to avoid humans.

This exceptional Morrison Formation site will be the focus of future field work, and there are additional specimens undergoing study now. The fossils shown were collected under BLM permit and the type specimen is in paleontology collections at the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum in Vernal, Utah.