Manica andrannae

†Manica andrannae Temporal range: Bartonian, Middle to Late Eocene K Pa Eo Ol Mi Pl Baltic amber, Baltic Sea region
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Myrmicini
Genus:	Manica
Species:	†M. andrannae
Binomial name
†Manica andrannae Zharkov and Dubovikoff, 2022

Photo Gallery

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  Zharkov et al. (2022), Figure 2. †Manica andrannae, holotype, photomicrographs (A–C) and paleontological reconstruction (3D models) (D–F). Worker: A,F—habitus, left lateral view; B,E—head, frontal view; C—clypeal margin and mandibles; D—habitus, dorsal view.
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  Zharkov et al. (2022), Figure 3. Select key features of the Manica species. SEM micrographs of M. invidia (A,B,E), M. rubida (C,D,F) and CT volume rendering of †M. andrannae (G,H). Worker: A,C,G—mesosoma, left lateral view; B,D,H—head, frontal view; E,F—flagellum. Abbreviations: promesonotal suture (pms), metanotal groove (mtg), propodeum spiracle (prsp), lateropronotal mesopleural articulation (lma), anapleural sulcus (ansu), clypeal margin (clm), apical tooth (at), antennal club (clb).
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  Zharkov et al. (2022), Figure 4. Diagrammatic representation of the distribution of the Manica species: filled and shaded area—recent species; red circle—fossil record from Baltic amber.

Identification

Manica andrannae shares a typical habitus with extant Manica species and can be undoubtedly placed within the genus based on the combination of the following characters:

• antennal club 5-segmented
• promesonotal suture faint but visible on dorsum
• lateropronotal mesopleural sutures are well developed
• metonotal groove strongly impressed
• metasternal process a pair of well-defined convex thickened lobes with visible ventral midline between them
• mandibles with a prominent apical tooth and a prominent subapical tooth, the remaining 12–16 teeth minute
• the rugae occur in parallel lines on the thorax
• palps are short
• maxillary of 6 segments, labial of 4.

The propodeal spiracles are convex, directed backwards. From all recent species of the genus, the new species is distinguished by the more angular petiolar node (such as some Myrmica, while evenly rounded in recent species of Manica), the dorsal surface of the propodeum is less convex with the distinct tubercles on the propodeum, which is clearly a plesiomorphic condition, which, apparently, disappeared over time in recent representatives of the genus.

Distribution

This taxon was described from Baltic amber, Baltic Sea region, Europe (Bartonian, Middle to Late Eocene).

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  He et al. (2024), Figure 1. Global map showing the type localities of †M. andrannae, M. bradleyi, M. hunteri, M. invidia, †M. iviei, M. parasitica, M. rubida, M. shanyii and M. yessensis (Source: Esri, Maxar, GeoEye, Earthstar geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community).

Nomenclature

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

• †andrannae. †Manica andrannae Zharkov and Dubovikoff, in Zharkov et al., 2022: 5, figs. 1-4 (w.) BALTIC AMBER (Eocene).

Type Material

Holotype: worker, KAM BX 34/22.1. Type stratum. Late Eocene, Priabonian age (37.8–33.9 Mya). Type locality. Russia: Kaliningrad Region, Baltic Sea coast, Sambia (Samland) Peninsula, Yantarny (formerly Palmnicken).

References

• He, Y., Chen, Z., Du, C. 2024. Review of the ant genus Manica (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), with a new record of the genus in China and description of a new species. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 97, 379–398 (doi:10.3897/jhr.97.111418).
• Zharkov, D., Dubovikoff, D., Abakumov, E. 2022. The first fossil record of the genus Manica Jurine, 1807 from Late Eocene Baltic amber and discussion of the early evolution of Myrmicini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Insects, 14, 21 (doi:10.3390/insects14010021).