Protoceratomyrmex

†Protoceratomyrmex; 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:	†Protoceratomyrmex; Perrichot, Wang & Barden, 2020
Type species
	†Protoceratomyrmex revelatus;
Diversity
	1 fossil species; (Species Checklist)

Identification

Perrichot et al. (2020) - Worker Head configuration similar to Haidomyrmex, Haidomyrmodes, Haidoterminus, Ceratomyrmex, and Linguamyrmex; head capsule tear-drop shaped, broadened posteriorly, gradually tapering anteriorly; head distinctly broad, approximately as wide as long. Mandibles scythe-like with abbreviated dorsal development and widened mandibular “elbow” relative to other haidomyrmecine taxa; clypeus with well-defined lateral and posterior sulci, a slight triangulate cuticular elevation present near posterior clypeal margin, flanked by elongate trigger hairs; posterolateral clypeal margins broadly rounded; frontal triangle present as a laterally flattened rectangular elevation between antennal sockets approximately equal in height to clypeal horn; eyes reduced, ocelli absent; pronotum broadened laterally; mesosoma with distinct metanotal sclerite; propodeal spiracle circular, gaping; petiole pedunculate with broadly rounded node; ventral margin of petiole unarmed; constriction present between abdominal segments III and IV with medial v-shaped projection on first gastral tergite visible dorsally.

Distribution

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

Castes

Nomenclature

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

†PROTOCERATOMYRMEX [†Haidomyrmecinae]
- †Protoceratomyrmex Perrichot, Wang & Barden, 2020: 12. Type-species: †Protoceratomyrmex revelatus, by original desgination.

Etymology

The generic name is a combination of proto (Greek, meaning ‘first’), and the most similar genus Ceratomyrmex, in reference to the very slight clypeal horn resembling an initial stage of the dramatically developed horn of other horned hell ants. The name is masculine.

References