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Aphaenogaster amphioceanica
Aphaenogaster amphioceanica Temporal range: Burdigalian?
Scientific classification Kingdom: Phylum: Class: Order: Family: Subfamily: Genus: Species: Animalia Arthropoda Insecta Hymenoptera Formicidae Myrmicinae Aphaenogaster A. amphioceanica Binomial name Aphaenogaster amphioceanica De Andrade, 1995 Aphaenogaster amphioceanica is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a single possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. At the time of description A. amphioceanica was one of two Aphaenogaster species known from the Caribbean islands.
Aphaenogaster amphioceanica The fossil ant was first studied by paleoentomologist Maria De Andrade of the University of Basel. De Andrade's 1995 type description of the new species was published in the Swiss journal Stuttgarter Beitrage zur Naturkunde (B). The specific epithet amphioceanica is a combination of the Greek "amphi" meaning round and "oceanicus" meaning of the ocean in reference to the Pacific and the nearest related species in the Indomalaya ecozone. The 6 woodlice were described as paratypes of the extinct species Pseudarmadillo cristatus in 1984.
Description
The Aphaenogaster amphioceanica specimen is well preserved, though the ant shows distortion from the amber moving after entombment. The specimen has an estimated body length of approximately 5.36 millimetres (0.211in). The overall coloration of A. amphioceanica is a moderately shining light brown, with the legs slightly lighter in tone. The head is oval in shape with a "neck" that is slightly shorter than the neck. The antennae have a long scape that extends for 3/5 of its length past the back of the head capsule and the four end segments form the antennal club. Large distinct ribs are found on the lateral sides of the antenna sockets on the head capsule. The propodium is notable in having two spines 0.16 millimetres (0.0063in) long that point upwards and backwards. The combination of "neck", antenna socket ridges and short sharp spines on the propodeum are unique. The antenna socket morphology is closest to that of several living specie found in the Indomalaysian region.
License
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