| Paraneuretus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| P. tornquisti paratype | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Aneuretinae |
| Genus: | † Paraneuretus Wheeler, 1915 |
| Species | |
| |
Paraneuretus is an extinct genus of formicid in the ant subfamily Aneuretinae known from fossils found in Asia and Europe. The genus contains three middle to late Eocene age species, Paraneuretus dubovikoffi, Paraneuretus longicornis, and Paraneuretus tornquisti.
Paraneuretus is known from over twenty five adult fossil specimens which are composed of complete adult males, female workers and queens. The first fossils were discovered preserved as inclusions in transparent chunks of Baltic amber. [1] Baltic amber is approximately forty six million years old, having been deposited during Lutetian stage of the Middle Eocene. There is debate on what plant family the amber was produced by, with evidence supporting relatives of either Pinus , Agathis or Sciadopitys . [2] [3] The paleoenvironment of the Eocene Baltic forests were two Paraneuretus species lived was humid temperate to subtropical islands. The forests were composed of mostly Quercus and Pinus species, while the lower sections of the forests had paratropical plant elements, such as palms. [3]
When first described the type specimens were included in several different collections including the University of Königsberg amber collection. The fossils were first studied by American entomologist William Morton Wheeler and described the genus plus two species in his 1915 paper The ants of the Baltic amber. [1] Designated as the type species of the genus, P. tornquisti was described from a series of twenty two workers and two males placed into four different amber collections. In contrast, the species P. longicornis was described from a single male in the Klebs collection. [1]
Since the genus and species descriptions by Wheeler, another species has been described from fossils found in Russia. [4] The third species was described from compression fossils preserved in diatomite deposits of the Bol’shaya Svetlovodnaya site. Located in the Pozharsky District, on the Pacific Coast of Russia, the fossil bearing rocks preserve possibly Priabonian plants and animals which lived in a small lake near a volcano. The site has been attributed to either the Maksimovka or Salibez Formations and compared to the Bembridge Marls and Florissant Formation, both of which are Priabonian in age. [4]
The genus is separated from other members of Aneuretinae, notably Aneuretus and Protaneuretus based on several characters. The workers are longer and more slender than those of the other genera, and they have an elongated, narrow head capsule. In all three species, the gaster is smooth, showing no contrition between the first and second segments, and the petioles are node shaped with a peduncle [4]
P. dubovikoffi was described from a single worker and a single gyne, both deposited in the A. A. Borissiak Paleontological Institute collections, part of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The 6 mm (0.24 in) worker is preserved as a partial profile impression, missing portions of the legs and antennae. The eyes are placed a little past the midpoint of the head capsule towards back, and have an oval shape. The upper side of the pronotum has a rounded profile appearance, as does the pronotum, and a mesopropodial constriction is present. [4] the petiole is a rounded node in shape and a short stalk attachment connects it to the propodium. The gyne is notably larger than the worker, at approximately 17–18 mm (0.67–0.71 in) long, and has a head that is wider than long when the mandibles are excluded. Also unlike the worker, the eyes are placed at the midpoint of the head, though they are small as the workers are. There are a number of denticles along the chewing margin on the large triangle shaped mandibles. While the scape extends beyond the back of the head, its total length is less than that of the head. [4]
Described from a single 7 mm (0.28 in) male in the private collection of Professor Richard Klebs of Königsberg University. It is smaller than the males of P. tornquisti but the antennae are longer, being nearly the same length as the body. The eyes P. longicornis are very convex and large with an almost totally circular outline. The petiole node has a longer base than in P. tornquisti while the gaster is shorter and the genitalia are not visible due to retraction into the gaster tip. [1]
Workers of P. tornquisti range between 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) long, with shiny black to red coloration and fine punctation on the whole exoskeleton. The heads have sparse hairs across the mandibles, clypeus and palpi, in addition to hairs sparsely scattered on the gaster. The antennae have scapes longer than the head capsule, with a third of the length past the rear edge of the head. All of the twelve antennae segments are elongate, each being at least twice as long as wide. The workers have a distinctly narrow thorax and bulging egg-shaped propodium. The node of the petiole is narrow and nearly double in length than it is wide, the node has a concave front edge and points rearward slowly. The males are similar in length to the larger workers, being about 10 mm (0.39 in) long. The thirteen segmented antennae are long, and reach to the second segment of the gaster. The petiole has the same proportions and profile shape as that of the workers. The gaster is narrow and long, with a slight widening from front to back and the genitalia have long and narrow stipites. [1]
Prionomyrmex is an extinct genus of bulldog ants in the subfamily Myrmeciinae of the family Formicidae. It was first described by Gustav Mayr in 1868, after he collected a holotype worker of P. longiceps in Baltic amber. Three species are currently described, characterised by their long mandibles, slender bodies and large size. These ants are known from the Eocene and Late Oligocene, with fossil specimens only found around Europe. It is suggested that these ants preferred to live in jungles, with one species assumed to be an arboreal nesting species. These ants had a powerful stinger that was used to subdue prey. In 2000, it was suggested by Cesare Baroni Urbani that the living species Nothomyrmecia macrops and a species he described both belonged to Prionomyrmex, but this proposal has not been widely accepted by the entomological community. Instead, scientists still classify the two genera distinctive from each other, making Nothomyrmecia a valid genus.
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.
Archimyrmex is an extinct genus of ant in the formicid subfamily Myrmeciinae, described by palaeoentomologist Theodore Cockerell in 1923. The genus contains four described species, Archimyrmex rostratus, Archimyrmex piatnitzkyi, Archimyrmex smekali and Archimyrmex wedmannae. Archimyrmex is known from a group of Middle Eocene fossils which were found in North America, South America, and Europe. The genus was initially placed in the subfamily Ponerinae, but it was later placed in Myrmeciinae; it is now believed to be the ancestor of the extant primitive genus Myrmecia from Australia. Despite this, Archimyrmex is not a member to any tribe and is regarded as incertae sedis within Myrmeciinae. However, some authors believe Archimyrmex should be assigned as incertae sedis within Formicidae. These ants can be characterised by their large mandibles and body length, ranging from 13.2 to 30 mm. They also have long, thin legs and an elongated mesosoma (thorax) and petiole.
Asymphylomyrmex is an extinct genus of ants in the formicid subfamily Dolichoderinae. The genus contains a single described species, Asymphylomyrmex balticus and is known from a group of Middle Eocene fossils which were found in Europe.
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.
Yantaromyrmex is an extinct genus of ants first described in 2013. Members of this genus are in the subfamily Dolichoderinae of the family Formicidae, known from Middle Eocene to Early Oligocene fossils found in Europe. The genus currently contains five described species, Y. constrictus, Y. geinitzi, Y. intermedius, Y. mayrianum and Y. samlandicus. The first specimens were collected in 1868 and studied by Austrian entomologist Gustav Mayr, who originally placed the fossils in other ant genera until the fossils were reviewed and subsequently placed into their own genus. These ants are small, measuring from 4 to 6 mm in length and can be characterized by their trapezoidal shaped head-capsules and oval compound eyes that are located slightly to the rear of the capsules midpoint, with no known ocelli present.
Zherichinius is an extinct genus of ants in the subfamily Dolichoderinae known from fossils found in amber from the Middle Eocene of Sakhalin island Far eastern Russia and Bitterfeld, Germany. At the time of description the species Zherichinius horribilis and Zherichinius rapax were two of eight ant species known from Sakhalin fossils.
Cananeuretus is an extinct genus of ant in the Formicidae subfamily Aneuretinae, and is one of two Cretaceous genera of the subfamily. The genus contains a single described species Cananeuretus occidentalis and is known from one Late Cretaceous fossil which has been found in North America.
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.
Gerontoformica is an extinct genus of stem-group ants. The genus contains thirteen described species known from Late Cretaceous fossils found in Asia and Europe. The species were described between 2004 and 2016, with a number of the species formerly being placed into the junior synonym genus Sphecomyrmodes.
Camelomecia is an extinct genus of stem-group ants not placed into any Formicidae subfamily. Fossils of the single known species, Camelomecia janovitzi, are known from the Middle Cretaceous of Asia. The genus is one of several ants described from Middle Cretaceous ambers of Myanmar.
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.
Formica biamoensis is an extinct species of formicid in the ant subfamily Formicinae known from fossils found in eastern Asia.
Aneuretellus is an extinct genus of ant in the formicid subfamily Aneuretinae, and is one of eight genera of the subfamily. The genus contains a single described species Aneuretellus deformis and is known from one Middle Eocene fossil which was found in Sakhalin in the Russian Far East.
Bradoponera is an extinct genus of ant in the Formicidae subfamily Proceratiinae, and is one of four genera of the subfamily. The genus contains four described species Bradoponera electrina, Bradoponera meieri, Bradoponera similis, and Bradoponera wunderlichi. The species are known from several Middle Eocene amber fossils which were found in Europe.
Electromyrmex is an extinct genus of ants in the formicid subfamily Dolichoderinae. The genus contains a single described species, Electromyrmex klebsi and is known from a group of Middle Eocene fossils which were found in Europe.
Pachycondyla succinea is an extinct species of ant in the formicid subfamily Ponerinae described from fossils found in Europe. P. petrosa is one of three middle Eocene Pachycondyla species found in Baltic amber.
Odontomachus spinifer is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from one possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. O. spinifer is one of two species in the ant genus Odontomachus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Odontomachus species found in the Greater Antilles.
Odontomachus pseudobauri is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from one possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. O. pseudobauri is one of two species in the ant genus Odontomachus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Odontomachus species found in the Greater Antilles.
Nylanderia pygmaea is an extinct species of formicid in the ant subfamily Formicinae known from fossils found in the Baltic region.
Media related to Paraneuretus at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Paraneuretus at Wikispecies