.jpg){kind=logo}
Baikuris ocellantis
| †Baikuris ocellantis Temporal range: Early Campanian, Late Cretaceous North Carolina amber, Neuse River, North Carolina, United States | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Uncertain |
| Genus: | Baikuris |
| Species: | †B. ocellantis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Baikuris ocellantis Sosiak, Cockx, Suarez, McKellar & Barden, 2024 | |
Identification
In most regards, similar to Baikuris casei; however, this species differentiated by characters that include:
- rounded compound eyes that have flat anterior and posterior margins
- markedly large ocelli
- mandibles apparently toothless
- palps long, with 6 maxillary palpomeres, and 4 labial palpomeres
- single protibial spur simple and blade-like
- two mesotibial spurs, one simple, and one denticulate
- two metatibial spurs, with one simple and other blade-like
- forewing with partially formed 2r-rs that is largely obscured by fuscous area in wing membrane apical to pterostigma
- 1m-cu is interstitial, with its anterior juncture located at the split between Rs and M
- gastral segment II larger than I
- male genitalia strongly exposed, with setose parameres
Baikuris ocellantis is very similar to Baikuris casei from New Jersey amber, including sharing a large number of the diagnostic characters attributed to this species. However, the distinctive ocelli, partial crossvein 2r-rs, and toothless mandible allow B. ocellantis to be readily distinguished from the previously described taxon.
Distribution
This taxon was described from North Carolina amber, Neuse River, North Carolina, United States (Early Campanian, Late Cretaceous).
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- †ocellantis. †Baikuris ocellantis Sosiak et al., 2024: 2, 11, figs. 1B, 1C, S2 (m.) U.S.A. (North Carolina, Cretaceous).
Type Material
- Holotype, specimen AMNH-NC-MSE-2 from Campanian amber of North Carolina (Locality 34, lignite beds along the Neuse River in the region of Goldsboro, NC). Six apparently conspecific males within single piece of amber—holotype is centrally located within amber piece (i.e., ‘‘ant 1’’ of Krynicki58 ). Inclusions now in a flattened, reniform piece of amber that has been surface-polished and surface-coated with epoxy for stabilization, measuring approximately 14 mm.
- Paratypes. Within same piece of amber as holotype (AMNH-NC-MSE-2), two additional largely complete specimens exist, one of which possesses clearer preservation of forewing venation than the holotype. Specimens AMNH-NC-MSE-2b and AMNH-NC-MSE-2c correspond to ‘‘ants 2 and 3’’ of Krynicki.