Ctenobethylus goepperti

Distribution
This taxon was described from and is also known from  (Dlussky & Rasnitsyn, 2009; Perkovsky, 2018),  (Perkovsky, 2016),  (Dlussky & Rasnitsyn, 2009) and  (see Iridomyrmex bogdassarovi).

Nomenclature

 * † goepperti. †Hypoclinea goepperti Mayr, 1868c: 56, pl. 1, figs. 3-7; pl. 2, figs. 42-46 (w.q.m.) BALTIC AMBER (Eocene). Combination in Bothriomyrmex: Dalla Torre, 1893: 170; in Iridomyrmex: Wheeler, W.M. 1915h: 90; in Liometopum: Shattuck, 1992a: 15; in †Ctenobethylus: Dlussky, 1997: 58. Senior synonym of †succinalis: Brown, 1977: 214. See also: Dlussky & Perkovsky, 2002: 5.
 * †succinalis. †Ctenobethylus succinalis Brues, 1939: 262, fig. 7 (w.) BALTIC AMBER (Eocene). Junior synonym of †goepperti: Brown, 1977: 214.
 * †bogdassarovi. †Iridomyrmex bogdassarovi Nazaraú (= Nazarov), in Nazaraú, Bahdasaraú & Uriew, 1994: 106, fig. 2 (w.) BELARUS [in amber].
 * Combination in †Ctenobethylus: Dlussky & Perkovsky, 2002: 5.
 * Combination in Liometopum: Heterick & Shattuck, 2011: 171 (error?).
 * Junior synonym of †goepperti: Dlussky & Perkovsky, 2002: 5.

Taxonomic Notes
This relatively young fossil from the Quaternary period (present to 2.5mya) almost certainly belongs to the genus Liometopum rather than Iridomyrmex. The illustration of the front of the head (Nazarw et al., 1994, fig. 2a) is typical of modern Liometopum species, with small anteriorly placed eyes and a roughly cordate head capsule which is narrowed at the mandibles (although slightly more than modern species) (Del Toro et al., 2009). While the figure shows only a top view of the body, this is also consistent with general Liometopum morphology. Until a more detailed study of the actual specimen can be undertaken, Heterick and Shattuck (2011) suggested transferring this species from Iridomyrmex to Liometopum.