Iridomyrmex obscurans

When describing this species Carpenter (1930) commented that it “is one of the most obscure of the Florissant ants, since nothing but the more general features are known”. Unfortunately little has changed over the past 90 years and this species remains essentially unknown. While there is little rigorous data to suggest it belongs in Iridomyrmex, placement in another genus would be just as tenuous and therefore Heterick and Shattuck (2011) retained it in Iridomyrmex as incertae sedis.

Distribution
This taxon was described from the United States.

Nomenclature

 * † obscurans. †Iridomyrmex obscurans Carpenter, 1930: 51 (q.) U.S.A. (Oligocene). Provisionally retained in Iridomyrmex: Shattuck, 1992a: 16. Unidentifiable taxon, incertae sedis in Iridomyrmex: Heterick & Shattuck, 2011: 168.

Additional References

 * [[Media:Carpenter 1930.pdf|Carpenter, F. M. 1930. The fossil ants of North America. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 70: 1-66 PDF]]