Polyrhachis annosa

†Polyrhachis annosa Temporal range: Messinian, Late Miocene K Pa Eo Ol Mi Pl Varvara Formation, Apomarma, Messara Basin, Crete, Greece
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Camponotini
Genus:	Polyrhachis
Species:	†P. annosa
Binomial name
†Polyrhachis annosa Wappler, Dlussky & Reuter, 2009

Boudinot et al. (2024), Note 4 - †Polyrhachis annosa neatly meets the expectations for Polyrhachis as it clearly has lateral petiolar spines, which is synapomorphic condition of the genus. Based on the limited preservation, we do not have confidence that this species will be placeable either in the stem or crown of the genus based on morphology. However, given that the Varvara formation is young, being dated at between 7–5 Myo, we do not think that it is defensible to place this fossil in a separate genus. We therefore leave this species in Polyrhachis with the hope that future phylogenetic work will resolve the polarity of petiolar spines within the genus.

Distribution

This taxon was described from Varvara Formation, Apomarma, Messara Basin, Crete, Greece (Messinian, Late Miocene).

Nomenclature

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

• †annosa. †Polyrhachis annosus Wappler, et al.. 2009: 434, figs. 3, 4a,b,d (w.) GREECE (Crete) (Miocene).

References

• Boudinot, B.E., Bock, B.L., Weingardt, M., Tröger, D., Batelka, J., LI, D., Richter, A., Pohl, H., Moosdorf, O.T.D., Jandausch, K., Hammel, J.U., Beutel, R. G. 2024. Et latet et lucet: Discoveries from the Phyletisches Museum amber and copal collection in Jena, Germany. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 711, 111–176 (doi:10.3897/dez.71.112433).
• Wappler, T., Dlussky, G.M. & Reuter, M. 2009. The first fossil record of Polyrhachis from the Upper Miocene of Crete (Greece). Palaeontologische Zeitschrift 83: 431-438.