Lelejus, Radchenko & Proshchalykin, 2021

Radchenko, Alexander G. & Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu., 2021, New extinct ant genus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) from late Eocene Rovno amber, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 84, pp. 271-282 : 271

Genus Lelejus gen. nov.

Type species.

Lelejus venustus sp. nov.

Diagnosis.

Antennae 13-segmented, inserted into head very close to posterior clypeal margin; scape very short, less than total length of first and second funicular segments, funiculus filiform, without apical club. Palp formula 3, 2. Mandibles well developed, subtriangular, masticatory margin with larger basal tooth, four minor sharp teeth and much longer sharp apical tooth. Median portion of clypeus evenly convex, without median and lateral carinae, its anterior margin convex, without a notch. Scutum with broad notauli. Propodeum distinctly angulated in profile, its dorsal surface delineated laterally by sharp longitudinal ridges. All meso- and metatibiae with well-developed simple spur, pretarsal claws simple. Forewing with closed cells 1+2r, 3r and mcu; cell 3r relatively short, about the same length as cell 1+2r; free vein M branching off from RS approximately at the midlength between junction of cross-vein 2r-rs with RS and vein m-cu; cross-vein cu-a located far from base of wing, so that branch 1M+Cu much longer than 2M+Cu, Icu = 1.75, Icua = 1.28. Hind wing without jugal lobe; free abscissa M absent; branch 1RS well developed; vein cu-a located close to base of wing, so that branch 1M+Cu much shorter than 2M+Cu, Icua = 2.37.

Etymology.

The new genus is named in honor of our colleague and friend Prof. Arkady S. Lelej (Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, Vladivostok, Russia) on the occasion of his 75th birthday and in recognition of his great contributions to the study of Hymenoptera .

Comparative diagnosis.

The described genus differs from any extant and extinct myrmicine genera known from the late Eocene European ambers by unique combination of the above mentioned features (for details see Discussion). Among these characters, the broad, foveate notauli and mandibles with six teeth are particularly distinctive of the new genus.