Adaptive Radiation in Socially Advanced Stem-Group Ants from the Cretaceous
Author
Phillip Barden
Author
David A. Grimaldi
text
Current Biology
2016
26
515
521
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.12.060
4f330383-51a0-4406-bec4-9a9fc6d33f8d
269536
7F08DE99-7838-40CB-BD40-8123E8C5AC94
Gerontoformica
Nel & Perrault
Gerontoformica
Nel & Perrault,
2004
: pg.
24
.
Type
species:
G.
cretacica
Nel & Perrault
, by original designation. In Late Albian-aged amber from Charente-Maritime,
France
.
Sphecomyrmodes
Grimaldi
& Engel,
2005
: pg.
5
.
Type
species
Sphecomyrmodes
orientalis
, by original designation. In Burmese amber dated to the Albian-Cenomanian boundary (ca.
99
Ma).
NEW
SYNONYMY
.
Diagnosis
(emended): Distinguished from other Cretaceous genera by the presence of an uninterrupted row of peglike denticles on the anterior margin of the clypeus; mandibles falcate, with one large apical tooth and one preapical tooth; labrum without denticles.
The revised diagnosis and new generic synonymy are based on re-examination by one author (P.B.) of the
type
specimen, housed at the National Museum of Natural History, Paris. The original description of
G.
cretacica
reports peg-like teeth on the labrum, which actually occur on the clypeus [S
20
]. Also, the antenna is distorted, giving the false appearance of an elongate scape. Finally, the apparent lack of a sting in the
type
specimen can be attributed to preservation, as other
major
features (dorsal mesosomal sclerites) are missing. Species formerly placed in
Sphecomyrmodes
[S
12
,S
16
,S
17
] are now placed in
Gerontoformica
, as follows: