Revision of the ant genus Iridomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) 2845
Author
Heterick, Brian E.
Author
Shattuck, Steve
text
Zootaxa
2011
2011-04-29
2845
1
1
174
https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.2845.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.2845.1.1
11755334
5287811
1FDB8D69-7200-4603-9677-930D01E813B5
Liometopum bogdassarovi
(Nazaraw, Bagdasaraw & Uriew)
,
comb. nov.
Iridomyrmex bogdassarovi
Nazaraw, Bagdasaraw & Uriew, 1994: 106
.
Types.
Holotype
worker from
Belarus
(Quaternary).
Comments.
This relatively young fossil from the Quaternary period (present to 2.5mya) almost certainly belongs to the genus
Liometopum
rather than
Iridomyrmex
. The illustration of the front of the head (Nazarw et al., 1994, fig. 2a) is typical of modern
Liometopum
species
, with small anteriorly placed eyes and a roughly cordate head capsule which is narrowed at the mandibles (although slightly more than modern species) (
Del Toro et al., 2009
). While the figure shows only a top view of the body, this is also consistent with general
Liometopum
morphology. Until a more detailed study of the actual specimen can be undertaken, it seems appropriate to transfer this species from
Iridomyrmex
to
Liometopum
.