Casaleia Temporal range: | |
---|---|
![]() | |
C. eocenica holotype | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Amblyoponinae |
Tribe: | Amblyoponini |
Genus: | † Casaleia Pagliano & Scaramozzino, 1990 |
Type species | |
Protamblyopone inversa Dlussky, 1981 | |
Species | |
| |
Synonyms | |
|
Casaleia is an extinct genus of ants in the formicid subfamily Amblyoponinae described by Pagliano & Scaramozzino in 1990 from fossils found in Europe. [1] The genus contains four species dating from the Eocene to Miocene, Casaleia eocenica, Casaleia inversa, Casaleia longiventris, Casaleia orientalis. [2] [3] [4]
The species placed in Casaleia have a varied history, with the type species Casaleia inversa originally described by Gennady Dlussky in 1981 as "Protamblyopone" inversa. The fossil was recovered from Middle Miocene age sediments exposed in the Chon-Tyz mine, Naryn Region, Kyrgyzstan. [5] However "Protamblyopone" was already used by William Morton Wheeler as a subgenus of Amblyopone . To correct the homonym status, the species was moved to the new genus Casaleia by Pagliano and Scaramozzino in a 1990 paper. [3]
The second species in the genus, C. eocenica, is of Lutetian age, and was recovered as a solitary compression-impression fossil preserved in a layer of soft sedimentary rock. Along with other well preserved insect fossils, the C. eocenica specimen was collected from layers of the Lutetian Messel pit World Heritage Site. The formation is composed of brown coals, oil shales, and bituminous shale, which preserved numerous insects, fish, birds, reptiles, and terrestrial mammals as a notable lagerstätten. The area is a preserved maar lake which initially formed approximately 47 million years ago as the result of volcanic explosions. [6] The fossil was described by Dlussky and Sonja Wedmann in a 2012 paper on the poneromorph ants of Messel. The specific epithet "eocenica" is derived from the Eocene age of the fossil. At the time of description, the fossil was preserved in the collections of the Forschungsstation Grube Messel as number FIS MeI 5565. [2]
C. longiventris was originally described 132 years before C. inversa and the erection of a new genus for the species. [3] The species was based on a group of seven separate fossil ants, which were preserved as compression fossils in sedimentary rock from the Radoboj area of what is now Croatia. The deposits are the result of sedimentation in an inland sea basin, possibly a shallow lagoon environment, during the Burdigalian of the Early Miocene. The fossil impressions are preserved in micrite limestones, resulting in low quality preservation of fine details. The fossils were first studied by Oswald Heer, then a professor with the University of Zürich, who placed the fossils into the genus Formica as F. longiventris in 1849. [3] This placement was not changed until a re-examination of two of Heers type specimens was published in 2014. Examination by Dlussky and Putyatina of two of Heers "syntypes" resulted in the removal of the species from Formica and placement into Casaleia. Of the two specimens, one was designated lectotype for the species, while the second was determined not to belong to the genus. [3]
C. orientalis was described in 2015 from a single holotype gyne missing its head. The fossil was recovered from the late Eocene Bol’shaya Svetlovodnaya fossil site, in the Sikhote-Alin area of far-eastern Russia. The type specimen numbered PIN 3429/1174 is currently preserved in the A.A. Borissiak Paleontological Institute fossil collections of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Bol’shaya Svetlovodnaya site preserves diatomaceous sediments from a small lake which existed near an active volcanic center. The diatomites have been grouped as either the Maksimovka formation or Salibez Formation, and the age range for the fossils is varied, ranging from upper Eocene to Upper Oligocene. Dlussky, Rasnitsyn, and Perfilieva opted to treat the fossil age as that of probably Priabonian. They coined the specific epithet from the Latin "orientalis", meaning "eastern", in reference to the type locality. [4]
In all three species the broad abdomen rests against the thorax with a single node petiole connecting. The eyes are sometimes not present on worker caste individuals, but in all castes where they are present they are placed just behind the mid length of the head capsule. In the known gynes the antennae are twelve segments and geniculate in structure, while the mandibles are triangular.
The type fossil for C. eocenica is a winged female gyne that was preserved as a dorsal imprint in the matrix. Overall the body length as preserved is 4.9 mm (0.19 in) with fore-wings that are 3.2 mm (0.13 in) long. The eyes are placed nearly at the midpoint of the head which is a little longer than its width. The antennae differ from C. inversa by having a scape which extends beyond the back corner of the head. The fore-wings have a vein structure that has resulted in closed cells 1 + 2r, 3r, rm and mcu. [2]
C. inversa is medium length for the genus, being 6.5 mm (0.26 in). [3]
The largest of the species, C. longiventris has a body length of 10 mm (0.39 in), and a hind-wing length of 6.4 mm (0.25 in). The mesosoma is elongated compared to the other two species and additionally separating the three. Neither the antennae or the fore-wings are preserved on the single examined lectotype. [3]
The single fossil is incomplete, but estimates give the length of 5.0 millimetres (0.20 in). The front are of the mesosoma has a convex outline in profile. Due to the preservation positioning of the gyne, comparison to the other species was not possible. [4]
Pachycondyla is a ponerine genus of ants found in the Neotropics.
Ypresiomyrma is an extinct genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmeciinae that was described in 2006. There are four species described; one species is from the Isle of Fur in Denmark, two are from the McAbee Fossil Beds in British Columbia, Canada, and the fourth from the Bol’shaya Svetlovodnaya fossil site in Russia. The queens of this genus are large, the mandibles are elongated and the eyes are well developed; a stinger is also present. The behaviour of these ants would have been similar to that of extant Myrmeciinae ants, such as solitary foraging for arthropod prey and never leaving pheromone trails. The alates were poor flyers due to their size, and birds and animals most likely preyed on these ants. Ypresiomyrma is not assigned to any tribe, and is instead generally regarded as incertae sedis within Myrmeciinae. However, some authors believe Ypresiomyrma should be assigned as incertae sedis within Formicidae.
Gesomyrmex is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae. The genus contains six extant species, known from the Indomalayan realm, and nine fossil species. Of the extant species, four are known only from workers and two only from females. The extinct species "G. expectans" and "Gesomyrmex miegi", formerly placed in the genus, were excluded by Dlussky et al.., 2009.
Emplastus is an extinct morphogenus of ants in the subfamily Dolichoderinae, known from fossils found in Asia and Europe. The genus contains twelve species described from sites in England, Eastern Europe and Far Eastern Russia.
Pseudectatomma is an extinct genus of ants in the formicid subfamily Ectatomminae described by from fossils found in Europe. The genus contains two species dating from the Eocene, Pseudectatomma eocenica and Pseudectatomma striatula.
Pachycondyla eocenica is an extinct species of ant in the formicid subfamily Ponerinae described from fossils found in Europe. P. eocenica is one of six Lutetian Pachycondyla species.
Pachycondyla lutzi is an extinct species of ant in the formicid subfamily Ponerinae described by from fossils found in Europe. P. lutzi is one of six Lutetian Pachycondyla species.
Pachycondyla? messeliana is an extinct species of ants in the formicid subfamily Ponerinae described by from a fossil found in Europe. P.? messeliana is one of six Lutetian Pachycondyla species.
Pachycondyla parvula is an extinct species of ant in the formicid subfamily Ponerinae described by from a fossil found in Europe. P. parvula is one of six Lutetian Pachycondyla species.
Pachycondyla petiolosa is an extinct species of ant in the formicid subfamily Ponerinae described by from a fossil found in Europe. P. parvula is one of six Lutetian Pachycondyla species.
Pachycondyla petrosa is an extinct species of ant in the formicid subfamily Ponerinae described from a fossil found in Europe. P. petrosa is one of six Lutetian Pachycondyla species.
Protopone is an extinct genus of ants in the formicid subfamily Ponerinae described from fossils found in Europe and Asia. There are seven described species placed into the genus, Protopone? dubia, Protopone germanica, Protopone magna, Protopone oculata, Protopone primigena, Protopone sepulta, and Protopone vetula. Protopone is one several Lutetian Ponerinae genera.
Cephalopone is an extinct genus of ants in the formicid subfamily Ponerinae described from fossils found in Europe. There are two described species placed into the genus, Cephalopone grandis and Cephalopone potens. Cephalopone is one several Lutetian Ponerinae genera.
Cyrtopone is an extinct genus of ants in the formicid subfamily Ponerinae described from fossils found in Europe. There are four described species placed into the genus, Cyrtopone curiosa, Cyrtopone elongata, Cyrtopone microcephala, and Cyrtopone striata. Cyrtopone is one several Lutetian Ponerinae genera.
Messelepone is an extinct genus of ants in the formicid subfamily Ponerinae described from fossils found in Europe. M. leptogenoides is the only species assigned to the genus, which is one of several Lutetian Ponerinae genera.
Dolichoderus pinguis is an extinct species of formicid in the ant subfamily Dolichoderinae known from a fossil found in Asia. The species is one of a number in the genus described from fossils.
Gesomyrmex macrops is an extinct species of formicid in the ant subfamily Formicinae known from a fossil found in eastern Asia.
Gesomyrmex incertus is an extinct species of formicid in the ant subfamily Formicinae known from a fossil found in eastern Asia.
Pachycondyla oligocenica is an extinct species of formicid in the ant subfamily Ponerinae known from a fossil found in eastern Asia.
Proceratium eocenicum is an extinct species of formicid in the ant subfamily Proceratiinae known from fossils found in the Baltic region.