Iridomyrmex mapesi Wilson, 2011

Heterick, Brian E. & Shattuck, Steve, 2011, Revision of the ant genus Iridomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) 2845, Zootaxa 2845 (1), pp. 1-174 : 168

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2845.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1FDB8D69-7200-4603-9677-930D01E813B5
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5294084
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F72587FD-70D9-FF3F-FF73-EC488B19FBC7
treatment provided by	Felipe (2021-08-23 11:45:32, last updated by Plazi 2023-11-04 12:35:01)
scientific name	Iridomyrmex mapesi Wilson
status	incertae sedis

Treatment

Iridomyrmex mapesi Wilson View in CoL , incertae sedis

Iridomyrmex mapesi Wilson, 1985a: 211 View in CoL .

Types. Holotype worker from the United States (Eocene).

Comments. The condition of the only known specimen of this species is so poor that discussions of its morphology are limited to the most general and vague characterisation. Wilson (1985a) notes that the species possesses fewer mandibular teeth than New World species then placed in Iridomyrmex (now placed in Linepethima). He compares the mandibles with those of extant Australian species, finding them similar to I. calvus and I. rufoniger , as well as what is now Philidris cordatus . Essentially no other details are provided. With so little information available it is impossible to support a specific generic placement of this taxon, and it is retained here as incertae sedis, acknowledging that this placement in Iridomyrmex is unsupported and likely to be incorrect based on biogeographic considerations and the great age difference between this species and the origins of modern members of Iridomyrmex .