Elaeomyrmex

There are two fossil species in the genus Elaeomyrmex, both known from Florissant shale (Oligocene) in the United Sates. At this time Elaeomyrmex is incertae sedis within the Dolichoderinae.

Identification
Female.- Head much longer than broad, narrowed anteriorly, posterior margin straight or slightly rounded, posterior angles broadly rounded, lateral margins nearly straight; mandibles prominent, triangular, with a large terminal tooth and five or six smaller teeth on the inner margin; clypeus large, anterior margin apparently straight, posterior margin with a prominent, median prolongation; entire clypeus with a series of fine striations which converge anteriorly; scapes of moderate size, not quite reaching the anterior margin of the head; eyes oval, of moderate size, situated at about the middle of the sides of the head; ocelli well developed; thorax rather long, slender; petiole small, the scale flattened, highest anteriorly; gaster slender; forwing with two closed cubita cells. The whole insect has a peculiar greasy appearance, unlike that of any other of the Florissant ants.

Worker.- Much smaller than the female but essentially the same in structure, excpet for somewhat smaller eyes. Clypeus striated as in the female.

Distribution
Common in Florissant shales of the United States (Oligocene).

Castes
Queens, ergatogynes, and workers known.

Additional References

 * Carpenter, F. M. 1930. The fossil ants of North America. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 70: 1-66
 * Ward, P.S., Brady, S.G., Fisher, B.L. & Schultz, T.R. 2010. Phylogeny and biogeography of Dolichoderinae ants: effects of data partitioning and relict taxa on historical inference. Systematic Biology 59: 342-362