Scientists found four varying kinds of 49-million-year-old cockroach fossils or Ectobius species Monday according to Live Science.
Scientists at the Slovak Academy of Sciences found the fossils in Northwest Colorado Live Science reported. The creature is now believed to have sprung on earth particularly five million years earlier Live Science reported.
"It was always assumed that these four newcomers were the first Ectobius species to have ever lived in North America," study co-author Conrad Labandeira of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History said in a statement. "But the discovery in Colorado proves that their relatives were here nearly 50 million years ago."
Over 70 kinds of cockroaches in the Ectobius category roam Europe, and Africa, a statistic that ranks them as frequent insects of the region Live Science reported.
According to Live Science, scientists previously believed Ectobius came to be in Europe, and Africa, and dates back to 44 million years ago Live Science reported. The classification comes from another kind of animal kept in baltic amber to prevent it from decaying Live Science reported.
Scientists cannot tell the exact aspects of the species since they don't appear clearly in the rock Live Science reported. Scientists have been able to tell aspects of Ectobius kohlsi. The fossil honors David Kohls, who provided the fossils for the study, and 150,000 more to Smithsonian's Department of Paleobiology Live Science reported.
Twenty-one E. kohlsi fossils were examined, and classified in the Ectobius genus category since they had unique color, and patterns on their wing veins.
Cockroaches are 0.25 to 0.5 inches in length, or 6.35 millimeters to 12.7 millimeters Live Science reported. The cockroaches are not as big as those in America or Periplaneta Americana. These can develop to 1.5 inches in length of four centimeters. These reside in big cities and small towns throughout the United States.
