Unusual Amber Fossils?

Question

What are some of the most unique things found preserved in ancient amber? Of most interest would be extinct species or fossil intermediates. Most of what I've seen are just insects (and some other things) that are identical to what we find today.

Answer 1

Because much of the amber we find are from the cretaceous era, which in geological time was not that long ago, we find many fossilized insects there that resemble the ones we have here today. There are several thousand described species of amber insects that are unfortunately not present today, and many that can only be found in compression fossils. We do however often find things that seem to fit into the insect orders that are present today, although some species may be lost, their closest relative and descendants can still be found today. Many of the fossil insects are from the biggest order of animals on the planet, the Coleoptera or beetles, but there are also many other large groups like the flies (Diptera) and the true bugs (Hemiptera).
The most unique things have to be the insects, they come in all shapes colours and sizes, which is actually the benefit of amber fossils as opposed to compression fossils, many of the colours are preserved, as well as the shapes.

I hope this answers your question!

Answer 2

Remember, just because they look similar (or even identical to your eye!) to insects of today, does not mean that they are.

http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil_Galleries/FossilAmber.htm

Also, there is the issue of copal ("new" or "fake" amber) versus true fossil amber:

http://www.paleodirect.com/fakeamber1.htm