Proceratium petrosum

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Proceratium petrosum
Temporal range: Priabonian
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Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Clade: Euarthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Genus: Proceratium
Species:†P. petrosum
Binomial name
Proceratium petrosum
Dlussky, Rasnitsyn & Perfilieva, 2015

Proceratium petrosum is an extinct species of formicid in the ant subfamily Proceratiinae known from a fossil found in eastern Asia.

In biology, a species ( ) is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. Other ways of defining species include their karyotype, DNA sequence, morphology, behaviour or ecological niche. In addition, paleontologists use the concept of the chronospecies since fossil reproduction cannot be examined. While these definitions may seem adequate, when looked at more closely they represent problematic species concepts. For example, the boundaries between closely related species become unclear with hybridisation, in a species complex of hundreds of similar microspecies, and in a ring species. Also, among organisms that reproduce only asexually, the concept of a reproductive species breaks down, and each clone is potentially a microspecies.

Proceratiinae subfamily of insects

Proceratiinae is a subfamily of ants in the poneromorph subfamilies group, with three extant genera, of which most are tropical or subtropical, although overall distribution is worldwide.

Contents

History and classification

P. petrosum is known from a single ant found in Russia. [1] The specimen was described from a compression fossil preserved in diatomite deposits of the Bol’shaya Svetlovodnaya site. The site is exposed on the bank of Barachek Creek 3 km (1.9 mi) upstream from the creeks confluence with the Bol’shaya Svetlovodnaya River [2] in the Pozharsky District, on the Pacific Coast of Russia. The fossil-bearing rocks preserve possibly Priabonian plants and animals which lived in and around 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. [1]

Compression fossil

A compression fossil is a fossil preserved in sedimentary rock that has undergone physical compression. While it is uncommon to find animals preserved as good compression fossils, it is very common to find plants preserved this way. The reason for this is that physical compression of the rock often leads to distortion of the fossil.

Pozharsky District District in Primorsky Krai, Russia

Pozharsky District is an administrative and municipal district (raion), one of the twenty-two in Primorsky Krai, Russia. It is located in the northern and northwestern parts of the krai and borders with Khabarovsk Krai in the north, Terneysky District in the east and southeast, Krasnoarmeysky District in the south, Dalnerechensky District in the southwest, and with China in the west. The area of the district is 22,570.3 square kilometers (8,714.4 sq mi). Its administrative center is the urban locality of Luchegorsk. Population: 31,086 (2010 Census); 34,120 (2002 Census); 35,826 (1989 Census). The population of Luchegorsk accounts for 67.6% of the district's total population.

The Priabonian is, in the ICS's geologic timescale, the latest age or the upper stage of the Eocene epoch or series. It spans the time between 37.8 and33.9 Ma. The Priabonian is preceded by the Bartonian and is followed by the Rupelian, the lowest stage of the Oligocene.

At the time of description, the holotype male specimen, number PIN 3429/103 was preserved in the A. A. Borissiak Paleontological Institute collections, part of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The fossil was first described by the trio of paleomyrmecologists Gennady Dlussky, Alexandr Rasnitsyn and Ksenia Perfilieva. In the type description, Dlussky, Rasnitsyn and Perfilieva named the species P. petrosum, with the specific epithet derived the Latinized Greek petros meaning "stone". [1]

Holotype single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described

A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype. Under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), a holotype is one of several kinds of name-bearing types. In the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN) and ICZN the definitions of types are similar in intent but not identical in terminology or underlying concept.

Russian Academy of Sciences academy of sciences

The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia; a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation; and additional scientific and social units such as libraries, publishing units, and hospitals.

Alexandr Rasnitsyn Russian scientist

Alexandr Pavlovich Rasnitsyn is a Russian entomologist, expert in palaeoentomology, and Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation (2001). His scientific interests are centered on the palaeontology, phylogeny, and taxonomy of hymenopteran insects and insects in general. He has also studied broader biological problems such as evolutionary theory, the principles of phylogenetics, taxonomy, nomenclature, and palaeoecology. He has published over 300 articles and books in several languages. In August 2008 he was awarded the Distinguished Research Medal of the International Society of Hymenopterists.

As of the 2015 description of P. petrosum six species of Proceratium had been described from fossils. P. denticulatum , P. dominicanum , P. gibberum and P. poinari are younger than P. petrosum, being described from the Middle Miocene Dominican amber. [1] P. eocenicum from Baltic amber is of similar age to P. petrosum, and the only other species with a described fossil male. [1] Of the six fossil species, P. petrosum was the first to be described from a compression fossil. [1]

<i>Proceratium</i> genus of insects

Proceratium is a rare genus of ants in the subfamily Proceratiinae. It is the type genus of the tribe Proceratiini, which in addition to Proceratium consists of two even rarer genera: the extant Discothyrea and the fossil genus Bradoponera.

The Burdigalian is, in the geologic timescale, an age or stage in the early Miocene. It spans the time between 20.43 ± 0.05 Ma and 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma. Preceded by the Aquitanian, the Burdigalian was the first and longest warming period of the Miocene and is succeeded by the Langhian.

Dominican amber

Dominican amber is amber from the Dominican Republic. Resin from the extinct tree Hymenaea protera is the source of Dominican amber and probably of most amber found in the tropics.

Description

Proceratium eocenicum paratype male Proceratium eocenicum paratype GPIH-BE4507 head profile.jpg
Proceratium eocenicum paratype male

The P. petrosum male is preserved as a dorsal compression showing the upper surface of the head, thorax and abdomen, with fore-wings outspread to the side. The body length is estimated to have been 7.5 mm (0.30 in), notably longer than the Baltic amber species P. eocenicum, which ranged between 2.2–2.7 mm (0.087–0.106 in). [1] P. petrosum has a head with a smoothly curved rear edge and no corners at the rear. The compound eyes and the ocelli are all large and distinct. [1]

Arthropod eye

Apposition eyes are the most common form of eye, and are presumably the ancestral form of compound eye. They are found in all arthropod groups, although they may have evolved more than once within this phylum. Some annelids and bivalves also have apposition eyes. They are also possessed by Limulus, the horseshoe crab, and there are suggestions that other chelicerates developed their simple eyes by reduction from a compound starting point. Some caterpillars appear to have evolved compound eyes from simple eyes in the opposite fashion.

Simple eye in invertebrates

A simple eye refers to a type of eye form or optical arrangement that contains a single lens. A "simple eye" is so called in distinction from a multi-lensed "compound eye", and is not necessarily at all simple in the usual sense of the word. The eyes of humans and large animals, and camera lenses are classed as "simple" because in both cases a single lens collects and focuses light onto the retina or film. Many insects have compound eyes consisting of multiple lenses, each focusing light onto a small number of retinula cells.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dlussky, G.M.; Rasnitsyn, A.P.; Perfilieva, K.S. (2015). "The Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Bol'shaya Svetlovodnaya (Late Eocene of Sikhote-Alin, Russian Far East)" (PDF). Caucasian Entomological Bulletin. 11 (1): 131–152.
  2. ↑ Rasnitsyn, A. P.; Quicke, D. L., eds. (2006). "Impression fossils". History of insects. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 438.
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