Acropyga glaesaria

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Acropyga glaesaria
Temporal range: Burdigalian?
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Acropyga glaesaria SMFBE457B2 01.jpg
A. glaesaria with Electromyrmococcus inclusus
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Genus: Acropyga
Species:
†A. glaesaria
Binomial name
†Acropyga glaesaria
LaPolla, 2005

Acropyga glaesaria is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Formicinae known from a group of possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. [1] A. glaesaria is the first species of the ant genus Acropyga to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is the one of several species of Acropyga found in the West Indies. As with other members of the genus, A. glaesaria was most likely trophobiotic. [2] [3]

Contents

History and classification

Acropyga glaesaria is known from six fossil insects which are inclusions in transparent chunks of Dominican amber. [2] The amber was produced by the extinct Hymenaea protera , which formerly grew on Hispaniola, across northern South America and up to southern Mexico. The specimens were collected from undetermined amber mines in fossil bearing rocks of the Cordillera Septentrional mountains, northern Dominican Republic. [1] [4] The amber dates from at least the Burdigalian stage of the Miocene, based on studying the associated fossil foraminifera and may be as old as the Middle Eocene, based on the associated fossil coccoliths. This age range is due to the host rock being secondary deposits for the amber, and the Miocene the age range is only the youngest that it might be. [1]

Dorsal view of an A. glaesaria paratype Acropyga glaesaria SMFBE457B1 01.jpg
Dorsal view of an A. glaesaria paratype

The holotype amber specimen, number DR-16-603, entombs an alate queen associated with the only known Electromyrmococcus inclusus , and one paratype queen, in a separate amber specimen with the E. reginae holotype, are currently preserved in the American Museum of Natural History in New York. A single specimen in the collections at the Naturmuseum Senckenberg in Frankfurt, Germany preserves two more paratype queens and the two known paratype males, all in association with the holotype of E. abductus . The fossils were first studied by entomologist John LaPolla of the Smithsonian Institution. LaPolla's 2005 type description of the new species was published in the journal Transactions of the American Entomological Society . The specific epithet glaesaria is derived from the Latin for "of amber" in reference to the preservation of the fossils. [2]

Prior to the species formal description in 2005 the fossils had been attributed to the genus Brachymyrmex and in the 2001 description of Electromyrmococcus specimens of A. glaesaria were suggested to represent several different Acropyga species. The generic placement was stabilized with a review and clarification of the scope of Acropyga by LaPolla in 2004, while the suggestion of multiple species based on morphology was shown to be an artifact of distortion and preservation in the amber. [2] The association of A. glaesaria and the Electromyrmococcus species is one of the oldest examples of trophobiosis. [2] Modern Acropyga are thought to be fully reliant on mealy bug species as their source of food and reproductive only emerge from the nest during the mating flight, [2] each carrying a seed bug in their mandibles. [3]

Description

The Acropyga glaesaria specimens are well preserved, though the specimens show some distortion from the amber moving after entombment. The specimens of queens have estimated body lengths between 2.37–2.94 millimetres (0.093–0.116 in),while the measured male shows a length of about 1.63 millimetres (0.064 in). The overall coloration of the A. glaesaria queens is a light yellow tone, typical for members of the genus and the males are a slightly darker dusky yellow which is also typical. The antennae are thickened with nine total segments, the apical of which is a little longer than the next three segments combined. The mandibles have eight teeth overall, with the fourth and seventh from the mandible apex being the longest overall. [2]

Related Research Articles

Trophobiosis

Trophobiosis is a symbiotic association between organisms where food is obtained or provided. The provider of food in the association is referred to as a trophobiont. The name is derived from the Greek τροφή trophē, meaning "nourishment" and -βίωσις -biosis which is short for the English symbiosis.

<i>Acropyga</i> Genus of ants

Acropyga is a genus of small formicine ants. Some species can be indirect pests. A. acutiventris, which is found from India to Australia, tends subterranean, root-feeding mealybugs of the species Xenococcus annandalei. Living, gravid females are carried in the jaws of A. acutiventris queens during their nuptial flight, to establish the symbiotic association in founding colonies. Other Acropyga species have relationships with different species of mealybugs, and it could be a trait common to the whole genus.

<i>Electromyrmococcus</i>

Electromyrmococcus is an extinct genus of mealybug in the Pseudococcidae subfamily Rhizoecinae. The genus currently contains three species, all from the early Miocene, Burdigalian stage, Dominican amber deposits on the island of Hispaniola.

<i>Brownimecia</i> Cretaceous ant genus described from amber fossils

Brownimecia is an extinct genus of ants, the only genus in the tribe Brownimeciini and subfamily Brownimeciinae of the Formicidae. Fossils of the single identified species, Brownimecia clavata, are known from the Middle Cretaceous of North America. The genus is one of several ants described from Middle Cretaceous ambers of New Jersey. Brownimecia was initially placed in the subfamily Ponerinae, until it was transferred to its own subfamily in 2003; it can be distinguished from other ants due to its unusual sickle-like mandibles and other morphological features that makes this ant unique among the Formicidae. The ant is also small, measuring 3.43 millimetres (0.135 in), and a stinger is present in almost all of the specimens collected. The morphology of the mandibles suggest a high level of feeding specialization.

<i>Haidomyrmodes</i> Extinct genus of ants

Haidomyrmodes is an extinct genus of ant in the formicid subfamily Haidomyrmecinae, and is one of only nine genera placed in the subfamily Haidomyrmecinae. The genus contains a single described species, Haidomyrmodes mammuthus. Haidomyrmodes is known from several Middle Cretaceous fossils which have been found in Europe.

<i>Acanthostichus hispaniolicus</i> Extinct species of ant

Acanthostichus hispaniolicus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Dorylinae known from a group of possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. hispaniolicus is the first species of the ant genus Acanthostichus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is the only species of Acanthostichus found in the West Indies.

Acanthognathus poinari is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a single possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. A. poinari is the first species of the ant genus Acanthognathus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of several species of Acanthognathus found in the Greater Antillies.

<i>Anochetus ambiguus</i> Extinct species of ant

Anochetus ambiguus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. ambiguus is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antillies.

Anochetus brevidentatus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. ambiguus is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antillies.

<i>Anochetus conisquamis</i> Extinct species of ant

Anochetus conisquamis is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from one possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. A. conisquamis is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antilles.

<i>Anochetus corayi</i> Extinct species of ant

Anochetus corayi is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from one possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. A. corayi is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antillies.

<i>Anochetus dubius</i> Extinct species of ant

Anochetus dubius is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. dubius is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antillies.

<i>Anochetus exstinctus</i> Extinct species of ant

Anochetus exstinctus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. exstinctus is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antillies.

<i>Anochetus intermedius</i> Extinct species of ant

Anochetus intermedius is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. intermedius is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antilles.

<i>Anochetus lucidus</i> Extinct species of ant

Anochetus lucidus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. lucidus is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antillies.

Pseudarmadillo cristatus is an extinct species of isopod (woodlouse) in the family Delatorreiidae known from a series of possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. At the time of description P. cristatus was one of two Pseudarmadillo species known from the fossil record and one of only two from Hispaniola.

<i>Aphaenogaster amphioceanica</i> Extinct species of ant

Aphaenogaster amphioceanica is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a single possibly Miocene fossil found in amber on Hispaniola. At the time of description A. amphioceanica was one of two Aphaenogaster species known from the Caribbean islands.

Apterostigma electropilosum is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a single possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. A. electropilosum is one of only two species of the ant genus Apterostigma and one of five attini species to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber.

<i>Azteca alpha</i> Species of ant

Azteca alpha is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Dolichoderinae known from possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. alpha is one of only two species in the genus Azteca to have been described from fossils, both found in Dominican amber. It is the host for a fossil nematode, and has been preserved with scale insects.

<i>Zatania electra</i> Extinct species of ant

Zatania electra is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Formicinae known from three possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. Z. electra is one of several Zatania species found in the Greater Antilles.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Poinar, G.; Heiss, E. (2011). "New Termitaphididae and Aradidae (Hemiptera) in Mexican and Dominican amber" (PDF). Palaeodiversity. 4: 51–62.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 LaPolla, J. S. (2005). "Ancient Trophophoresy: A Fossil Acropyga (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Dominican Amber". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 131 (1/2): 21–28. JSTOR   25078875.
  3. 1 2 LaPolla, J. S. (2004). "Acropyga (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the World". Contributions of the American Entomological Institute. 33 (3): 1–130.
  4. ↑ Woodruff, R.E. (2009). "A new fossil species of stag beetle from Dominican Republic amber, with Australasian connections (Coleoptera: Lucanidae)". Insecta Mundi. 0098: 1–10.
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