Formica macrognatha

†Formica macrognatha Temporal range: Bartonian, Middle to Late Eocene K Pa Eo Ol Mi Pl Baltic amber, Baltic Sea region
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Formicini
Genus:	Formica
Species:	†F. macrognatha
Binomial name
†Formica macrognatha Presl, 1822

Radchenko et al. (2021) question the placement of this taxon within the genus Formica. They note that F. macrognatha is quite small (ca. 3.7 mm), with short legs (“Pedes breves”), and its head is large and triangular (“Caput… magnum, trigonum”), precluding its placement in Formica.

Distribution

This taxon was described from Baltic amber (Bartonian, Middle to Late Eocene).

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• †macrognatha. †Formica macrognatha Presl, 1822: 198 (no caste or sex given) BALTIC AMBER (Eocene).

References

• Presl, J. S. 1822. Additamenta ad faunam protogaem, sistens descriptiones aliquat animalium in succino inclusorum. Pp. 191-210 in: Presl, J. S., Presl, K. B. Deliciae Pragenses, historiam naturalem spectantes. Tome 1. Pragae: Calve, 244 pp. (page 198, no caste or sex given)
• Radchenko, A.G., Perkovsky, E.E., Vasilenko, D.V. 2021. Formica species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Formicinae) in late Eocene Rovno amber. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 82, 237–251 (doi:10.3897/jhr.82.64599).