Gerontoformica Nel & Perrault

Phillip Barden & David A. Grimaldi, 2016, Adaptive Radiation in Socially Advanced Stem-Group Ants from the Cretaceous, Current Biology 26, pp. 515-521 : 538

Gerontoformica Nel & Perrault

Gerontoformica Nel & Perrault, 2004 : pg. 24. Type species: G. cretacica Nel & Perrault , by original designation. In Late Albian-aged amber from Charente-Maritime, France.

Sphecomyrmodes Grimaldi & Engel, 2005 : pg. 5. Type species Sphecomyrmodes orientalis , by original designation. In Burmese amber dated to the Albian-Cenomanian boundary (ca. 99 Ma). NEW SYNONYMY.

Diagnosis (emended): Distinguished from other Cretaceous genera by the presence of an uninterrupted row of peglike denticles on the anterior margin of the clypeus; mandibles falcate, with one large apical tooth and one preapical tooth; labrum without denticles.

The revised diagnosis and new generic synonymy are based on re-examination by one author (P.B.) of the type specimen, housed at the National Museum of Natural History, Paris. The original description of G. cretacica reports peg-like teeth on the labrum, which actually occur on the clypeus [S20]. Also, the antenna is distorted, giving the false appearance of an elongate scape. Finally, the apparent lack of a sting in the type specimen can be attributed to preservation, as other major features (dorsal mesosomal sclerites) are missing. Species formerly placed in Sphecomyrmodes [S12,S16,S17] are now placed in Gerontoformica , as follows: