Anochetus brevidentatus
†Anochetus brevidentatus Temporal range: Burdigalian, Early Miocene Dominican amber, Dominican Republic | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Ponerinae |
Tribe: | Ponerini |
Genus: | Anochetus |
Species: | †A. brevidentatus |
Binomial name | |
†Anochetus brevidentatus Mackay, W.P., 1991 |
Identification
Diagnosis. This species is closely related to A. kempfi. It differs in that the mandibular teeth are smaller, the teeth on the petiolar node are much smaller (Figs. 3 and 4), the mandibles are enlarged in the middle (as in A. haytianus Fig. 7) and it is smaller than A. kempfi. It can be easily distinguished from A. haytianus and A. longispina as the teeth on the node of the petiole are much smaller (Figs. 3 and 5) and it has teeth on the propodeum, which are absent on the latter species.
Distribution
This taxon was described from Dominican amber, Dominican Republic (Burdigalian, Early Miocene).
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- †brevidentatus. †Anochetus brevidentatus Mackay, 1991: 138, figs. 1-3, 8 (w.) DOMINICAN AMBER (Dominican Republic, Miocene).
- Status as species: De Andrade, 1994: 19; Bolton, 1995b: 63.
Holotype: Museum of Comparative Zoology, without number.
Description
Description of worker: HL 1.34, HW 1.20, SL 1.40, ML 0.90, EL 0.2, WL 2.08 (abbreviations as in Brown, 1978, measurements in mm). Mandibles with three apical teeth (Fig. 8) in addition to six smaller teeth along mesial border (Fig. 2), mandible slightly thickened at one half length of mandible; eye appears to be relatively small (not easily seen in specimen); mesosoma similar to that of A. kempfi, anterior edge of mesonotum higher than level of pronotum; propodeum with pair of well developed spines, directed vertically (Fig. l); anterior face of petiole almost flat (in profile), posterior face convex, node bidentate, teeth relatively small (Fig. 3). Erect hairs sparse, present on mandibles, dorsum of head, pronotum and gaster. Sculpture fine, parallel striae on most of mesosoma; gaster smooth and shining. Female and male: Unknown.
- Etymology.
From Latin, referring to the short teeth on the petiolar node, a character which separates it from all others in the superspecies haytianus.
References
- Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp. (page 63, catalogue)
- De Andrade, M. L. 1994c. Fossil Odontomachiti ants from the Dominican Republic (Amber Collection Stuttgart: Hymenoptera, Formicidae. VII: Odontomachiti). Stuttg. Beitr. Naturkd. Ser. B (Geol. Paläontol.) 199: 1-28 (page 19, see also)
- Mackay, W.P. 1991. Anochetus brevidentatus, new species, a second fossil Odontomachiti ant. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 99: 138-140. [14.ii.1991.] (page 138, figs. 1-3, 8 worker described)