Cretaceous crown male ant reveals the rise of modern lineages.

ABSTRACT: Most described Mesozoic ants belong to stem groups that existed only during the Cretaceous period. Previously, the earliest known crown ants were dated to the Turonian (Late Cretaceous, ca. 94-90 million years ago (Ma)) deposits found in the USA, Kazakhstan, and Botswana. However, the recent discovery of an alate male ant in Kachin amber from the earliest Cenomanian (ca. 99 Ma), representing a new genus and species, Antiquiformica alata, revises the narrative on ant diversification. Antiquiformica can be distinctly differentiated from all known male stem ants by its geniculate antennae with elongated scape, extending far beyond the occipital margin of the head and half the length of the funiculus, as well as its partly reduced forewing venation. Furthermore, the combination o

SUBMITTER: Wu Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11491779 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature