Pachycondyla eocenica
An extinct ponerine ant from the Eocene of Europe.
Pachycondyla eocenica is an extinct species of ant belonging to the subfamily Ponerinae. It is one of six Lutetian Pachycondyla species known from fossils found in Europe.
Quick Facts
- Species
- eocenica
Facts from the source article.
History and classification
Pachycondyla eocenica was first identified from two compression-impression fossils found in soft sedimentary rock. These specimens came from the Lutetian-age Messel pit World Heritage Site, a fossil-rich lagerstätten made up of brown coals, oil shales, and bituminous shale. The site, a preserved maar lake, formed around 47 million years ago after volcanic explosions. The holotype, labeled SMF MeI 10999, is kept in the Senckenberg Research Station Messel fossil collections. Its name, "eocenica," refers to the Eocene epoch. This ant is one of six Pachycondyla species described from the Messel Formation in a 2012 study by Gennady Dlussky and Sonja Wedmann. The other five are P. lutzi, P.? messeliana, P. parvula, P. petiolosa, and P. petrosa. An additional eight fossil Pachycondyla species have been found across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Description
The holotype is a partially preserved adult queen fossilized as a lateral impression, missing portions of the legs and wings. The paratype is a very partial dorsal impression preserving only the head, either of a gyne or a worker. The queen's overall length is approximately 8.8 mm, with an estimated head length of 1.5 mm. The antennae are slender, with a scape extending nearly to the rear margin of the head. The eyes are rounded and placed forward of the head's midpoint. The petiole scale has a rounded top edge, larger than that of P. succinea and smaller than that of P. messeliana.
More in Prehistoric Life of Europe
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced