Gesomyrmex germanicus, Dlussky, Gennady M., Wappler, Torsten & Wedmann, Sonja, 2009

Dlussky, Gennady M., Wappler, Torsten & Wedmann, Sonja, 2009, Fossil ants of the genus Gesomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the Eocene of Europe and remarks on the evolution of arboreal ant communities, Zootaxa 2031, pp. 1-20 : 10

Gesomyrmex germanicus sp. nov.

( Fig. 3 A and Fig. 6 I)

Derivation of the name. The species name is derived from the country of origin ( Germany). Holotype. NHMM PE-1997/29 (Ƥ). Paratype: NHMM PE-1998/13 (Ƥ). Other specimens (ƤƤ):NHMM PE-1998/1, PE-1998/9.

Type locality and horizon. Eckfeld, Germany. Middle Eocene, ca. 44 Ma (Mertz et al. 2000).

Description. Gyne. BL 9–10 mm. Head subrectangular, about 1.3 times longer than wide, with feebly convex sides and posterior margin and rounded posterolateral corners. Anterior clypeal margin projected as small rounded lobe. Frontal carinae divergent. Eyes ovate, comparatively large: head about 3 times longer than maximum eye diameter. Ocelli large, distance between them a little more than their diameter. Scape does not reach posterior margin of eye, head 3 to 3.5 times longer than scape. Mandibles triangular with an acute apical tooth and some blunt teeth on the masticatory margin. Mesosoma about as wide as head. Scutum about as long as wide. Scutellum transverse. Forewing with very small trapezioid cell mcu. Whole body black. Wings colorless with dark veins and pterostigma.

Measurements (in mm). Holtype PE-1997/29: BL 9.7, AL 2.6, HL 2.0, HW 1.5, SL 0.61, ED 0.65; paratype PE-1998/13: BL 9.4, AL 2.7, HL 1.8, SL 0.60; specimen PE-1998/1: HL 1.75, specimen PE-1998/9: BL 9.0, AL 2.35, HL 1.5.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Gesomyrmex species from Eckfeld maar. (A) G. germanicus sp. nov., gyne, holotype PE- 1997 / 29. (B) G. flavescens sp. n., gyne, holotype PE- 2000 / 14. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Photographs of different casts and species of Gesomyrmex. (A) Gesomyrmex hoernesi Mayr – minor worker GMUG. BST. 0 4207. (B) Gesomyrmex hoernesi Mayr – worker PMHU. 13 / 221. (C) Gesomyrmex hoernesi Mayr – male MKC. F- 010. (D) Gesomyrmex hoernesi Mayr – major worker SIZK. K- 419. (E) Gesomyrmex hoernesi Mayr – gyne PMHU. 7 / 229. (F) G. b re v ic e ps sp. nov., gyne, holotype MeI 2305. (G) G. pulcher sp. nov., gyne, holotype MeI 10999. (H) G. curiosus sp. nov., head of gyne, holotype MeI 11953. (I) G. germanicus sp. nov., gyne, holotype PE- 1997 / 29. (J) G. flavescens sp. n., gyne, holotype PE- 2000 / 14. Scale bars = 1 mm.