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Sphecomyrma nexa
| †Sphecomyrma nexa 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: | Sphecomyrminae |
| Tribe: | Sphecomyrmini |
| Genus: | Sphecomyrma |
| Species: | †S. nexa |
| Binomial name | |
| †Sphecomyrma nexa Sosiak, Cockx, Suarez, McKellar & Barden, 2024 | |
Identification
Generally very morphologically similar to Sphecomyrma freyi, though distinct from Sphecomyrma mesaki in size and several morphological characters. S. nexa may be distinguished from S. freyi by the presence of an anterior-facing triangular spicule-like subpetiolar process in S. nexa, which S. freyi lacks; S. freyi additionally has a slightly more rounded petiolar node than S. nexa. The two species are extremely similar in size and proportion. S. mesaki is approximately twice the size of S. nexa; it may also be distinguished by a proportionally shorter scape in S. mesaki, and presence of an extended medial clypeal lobe in S. mesaki, which S. nexa lacks.
S. nexa, while being morphologically similar to both known Sphecomyrma species, is exceptionally similar to S. freyi. However, the geographical and temporal separation of the two species, in combination with the presence of a subpetiolar spicule in S. nexa, allows differentiation between the two groups.
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.
- †nexa. †Sphecomyrma nexa Sosiak et al., 2024: 2, 10, figs. 1A, 1B, S1 (w.) U.S.A. (North Carolina, Cretaceous).
Type Material
- Holotype, specimen AMNH-NC-515 from Campanian amber of North Carolina. Single female worker, in small semi-cylindrical piece of dark yellow to orange amber, some fractures and resin textures obscuring specimen.