Linguamyrmex rhinocerus

†Linguamyrmex rhinocerus; Temporal range: Early Cenomanian, Late Cretaceous K Pa Eo Ol Mi Pl Burmese amber, Kachin State, Myanmar
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	†Haidomyrmecinae
Genus:	†Linguamyrmex
Species:	†L. rhinocerus
Binomial name
	†Linguamyrmex rhinocerus; Miao & Wang, 2019

The observed worker is in a nearly oval piece of amber about 3.3 cm long, from Cretaceous amber found in northern Myanmar.

Identification

The main difference between this new species and Linguamyrmex vladi is that the former first whip length (1.02mm) is about the latter 2 times (0.55mm); the former lip substrate length is greater than the head length, while the latter lip substrate length is shorter than the head length.

Distribution

This taxon was described from Burmese amber, Kachin State, Myanmar (Early Cenomanian, Late Cretaceous).

Biology

We speculate that this special ant may be a predator of small insects or mollusks, piercing and killing prey with a special upper jaw, and then sucking their body fluids.

Castes

Miao & Wang, 2019. Figure 1. Holotype.

Miao & Wang, 2019. Figure 2b-f.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

†rhinocerus. †Linguamyrmex rhinocerus Miao & Wang, 2019: 140, figs. 1-2 (w.) MYANMAR (Burmese amber).
- See also: Perrichot, Wang & Barden, 2020.

Type Material

Holotype, worker, Myanmar (Cretaceous), Insect Collection, South China Agricultural Univeristy.

Description

The body length is 6.57mm; the head length is 0.85mm, and the head width is 0.85mm. Front view, the head is nearly square, the sides are nearly straight, and the back edge is slightly concave. Lip base apparently protruding forward, extending into a plate, paddle-shaped, 1.03mm long, 0.74mm at the widest point, slightly bent near the end of the plate; the ventral surface of the lip substrate, near there is a trigger hair at the edge of the head end. The upper jaw is nearly "L" shaped and 1.42mm long; the ends are slender and sharp, nearly parallel; the base is thick; the bottom is toothed, and the bend is inward the two teeth are symmetrical and cohesive. There are 3 sections under the command. 3 single eyes, arranged in an acute triangle; compound eyes protruding, located near the top of the head, oval, it is 0.38mm long. The antennae are 12-section, the longest shank is 1.17mm; the length of the stalk is 0.13mm, the width is 0.50mm; the first whip is 1.02mm, the rest The whip is gradually shortened towards the end.

The abdomen and chest are slender, the chest length is 2.21mm, the front chest plate is slightly rounded, the front-middle chest plate is sewn; the middle chest plate is back with a chest shield and a small shield. The middle chest scutellum is about twice as large as the small scutellum; the middle chest and the thoracic back plate are obviously interspersed; and the chest and abdomen back plate is flat and the slope is steep; with obvious posterior thymus holes. The foot is slender, the basal ganglia is swollen, with a knuckle; the forefoot leg base is slightly enlarged; the forefoot basal section is 0.81 mm, the swivel 0.30mm, leg section 1.59mm, sacral section 1.30mm, sacred section with 3 distances, 1 big 2 small, claw one tooth. Midfoot base section 0.48 mm, swivel 0.32mm, leg section 1.62mm, ankle section 1.33mm, with 2 distances, equal big, claw one tooth. Back foot base section 0.68mm, swivel section 0.24mm, leg section 2.64mm, 胫 2.75mm, 2 inches and so on, claws and teeth.

The nodule is 0.76mm long and 0.41mm high. The front is straight and the back is steep. The contraction of the first and second sections of the posterior abdomen is obvious; needle, hip plate with bristles.

References