Fossil Ants

Extinct ants include both specimens fossilized in shale or other stone and ants preserved in Amber and Copal (not fossilized). Winged and worker ants were much larger in times past so that some ant specimens are still identifiable as ants when found in stone. Specimens preserved in amber are in much better condition allowing for a more reliable identification.

The geologic age of the deposits are important in understanding the evolution of ants as well as their extinction and the distribution of ants worldwide. In some cases the surrounding vegetation and insects that are preserved along with the ants allows a partial reconstruction of the habitat and in some cases the microhabitat as well.

Geologic time zones reflecting the evolution of ants.
The Cretaceous subfamily Specomyrminae is the most primitive group of true ants (Wilson, et al., 1997; Ward and Brady, 2003).

The earliest ants are found in amber dating back to the Cretaceus Period (145.5 to 65.5 million years ago). True ants probably originated no more than 120 million years ago.

Early Ants
Modified after Grimaldi and Engel 2005 The Evolution of the Insects

Families, subfamilies (4), tribes, genera and species.

List of Extinct Ants

Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about 23.03 to 5.332 million years ago (Ma)

Miocene Ants from Argentina Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene

Miocene Ants from Canada

Miocene Ants from China

Miocene Ants from Croatia

Miocene Ants from Dominican Republic Amber deposits

Miocene Ants from France

Miocene Ants from Japan

Miocene Ants from Switzerland

Eocene
The Eocene is a geological epoch of the Paleogenee Period which lasted approximately from 56 to 34 million years ago

Baltic Amber

The Baltic and similar ambers are widespread on the territories of the Central and Eastern Europe and for a long time attracted attention of geologists, entomologists, and other researchers. The age and sources of amber from different regions of Europe have been a subject of discussion for many decades. Because amber easily withstands repeated redeposition and because its mineralogical characteristics are variable, an important role in settling these issues is played by organic inclusions, particularly the relatively well-studied inclusions of ants.