Cephalotes jansei

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Cephalotes jansei
Cephalotes jansei SMNSDO5688 dorsal.jpg
Holotype in Dominican amber
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Genus: Cephalotes
Species:
†C. jansei
Binomial name
†Cephalotes jansei
(Vierbergen & Scheven, 1995)
Synonyms
  • Exocryptocerus jansei

Cephalotes jansei is an extinct [1] species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes , originally erroneously called Exocryptocerus jansei by its discoverers, [2] characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop from a tree, giving them the nickname of gliding ants. [3] [4] The species was probably native of Hispaniola, however, lack of more evidence makes this uncertain. [2] Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gave them their gliding abilities. [5]

The species was first given a description and a classification by German entomologists Gijsbertus Vierbergen and Joachim Scheven in 1995. It was subsequently described in Diversity and Adaptation in the Ant Genus Cephalotes Past and Present (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) as a sister group to Cephalotes serratus , possessing slightly larger and more triangular mandibles. It was discovered fossilized in amber on the island of Hispaniola in the Dominican Republic. [6]

Discovery

Cephalotes jansei was probably native of Hispaniola as well as the Lesser Antilles although lack of sufficient evidence makes this uncertain. It was discovered fossilized in Dominican amber, extracted in the Dominican Republic and is dated between the Burdigalian and Langhian ages of the Miocene, which means between 20.44 and 13,82 million years ago. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Cephalotes</i> Genus of ants

Cephalotes is a genus of tree-dwelling ant species from the Americas, commonly known as turtle ants. All appear to be gliding ants, with the ability to "parachute" and steer their fall so as to land back on the tree trunk rather than fall to the ground, which is often flooded.

<i>Cephalotes alveolatus</i> Extinct species of ant

Cephalotes alveolatus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a single Middle Miocene fossil found in amber on Hispaniola. At the time of description C. alveolatus was one of seven fossil ant species placed in the Cephalotescoffeae clade.

Cephalotes hirsutus is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species is native of Mexico, especially of the state of Sinaloa and the vicinity of the city of Morelia. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

<i>Cephalotes integerrimus</i> Extinct species of ant

Cephalotes integerrimus is an extinct species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gave them their gliding abilities.

<i>Cephalotes lanuginosus</i> Species of ant

Cephalotes lanuginosus is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species is native of Paraguay and the north of Argentina. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

<i>Cephalotes liepini</i> Species of ant

Cephalotes liepini is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species is native of the Brazilian states of Goiás and Minas Gerais. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

<i>Cephalotes maculatus</i> Species of ant

Cephalotes maculatus is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species is native across most of the South and Central America, from the Mexican state of Tamaulipas in the north, to the Argentinian province of Tucumán in the south, making it one of the species with the largest native area in the genus Cephalotes Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

<i>Cephalotes marginatus</i> Species of ant

Cephalotes marginatus is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species is native of the northern half of South America, especially Amazon basin, Ecuador and Colombia. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

Cephalotes maya is an extinct species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species was probably native of the Mexican state of Chiapas, however, lack of more evidence makes this uncertain. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gave them their gliding abilities.

Cephalotes membranaceus is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species is native of the Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

<i>Cephalotes multispinosus</i> Species of ant

Cephalotes multispinosus is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species is native of most of Central America, from the Mexican state of Nayarit in the north to Panama in the south. Dubious reports have also been made of the presence of the species in the American states of Texas and Illinois Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

<i>Cephalotes nilpiei</i> Species of ant

Cephalotes nilpiei is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species is native of the Brazilian states of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities and eases their arboreal movement.

Cephalotes obscurus is an extinct species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species was probably native to Hispaniola, however, lack of more evidence makes this uncertain. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gave them their gliding abilities.

Cephalotes olmecus is an extinct species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes known only from Mexican amber inclusions.

Cephalotes cordatus is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering through a long fall; thus their alternative name, gliding ants. The species is native across the north of South America, from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais to Venezuela, as well as in Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

<i>Cephalotes inca</i> Species of ant

Cephalotes inca is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they are on. They are also known as gliding ants. The species is native to Ecuador and Peru. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

Cephalotes insularis is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species is native of Mexico, especially of the states of Jalisco, Nayarit and Sinaloa. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

Cephalotes jamaicensis is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species is native in Jamaica, the specimen that lead to its discovery was found in Kingston Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

<i>Cephalotes lenca</i> Species of ant

Cephalotes lenca is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species is native of Nicaragua and Honduras. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

<i>Cephalotes manni</i> Species of ant

Cephalotes manni is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants. The species is native of Nicaragua and a large part of the north of South America. Their larger and flatter legs, a trait common with other members of the genus Cephalotes, gives them their gliding abilities.

References

  1. ↑ Forel, A. (1912). Formicides Néotropiques. Part II (3 ed.). Société Entomologique de Belgique. pp. 179–209.
  2. 1 2 De Andrade, Maria; Urbani, Cesare. Diversity and adaptation in the ant genus Cephalotes, past and present (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Basel. p. 526. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  3. ↑ Latreille, P.A. (1802). Histoire naturelle, generale et particuliere des crustaces et des insectes. Vol. 3. F. Dufart, Paris. 467 pp. PDF
  4. ↑ Yanoviak, S. P.; Munk, Y.; Dudley, R. (2011). "Evolution and Ecology of Directed Aerial Descent in Arboreal Ants". Integrative and Comparative Biology. 51 (6): 944–956. doi: 10.1093/icb/icr006 . PMID   21562023.
  5. ↑ De Andrade, Maria; Urbani, Cesare (1999). Diversity and adaptation in the ant genus Cephalotes, past and present (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Stuttgarter Beitraege zur Naturkunde Serie B (Geologie und Palaeontologie). pp.  529-530. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  6. ↑ de Andrade, Maria; Urbani, Cesare. Diversity and adaptation in the ant genus Cephalotes, past and present (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Basel. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  7. ↑ "Cephalotes jansei Vierbergen and Scheven 1995 (ant)". Fossilworks. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
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