Gesomyrmex flavescens, 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 : 11

Gesomyrmex flavescens sp. nov.

( Fig. 3 B and Fig. 6 J)

Derivation of the name. Flavescens is Latin for yellowish.

Holotype. NHMM PE- 2000/14 (Ƥ).

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

Description. Gyne. BL about 13 mm. Head subrectangular, 1.2 times longer than wide, with nearly parallel sides, sharp posterolateral corners and straight posterior margin. Anterior margin of the clypeus straight. Head 3.5 times longer than maximum eye diameter. Ocelli moderate large, distance between them some times greater than their diameter. Mesosoma a little wider than head. Scutum about as long as wide. Petiole with thick scale, longer than wide. Wing venation not preserved. Posterior part of the head, mesosoma, petiole and base of first gastral segment yellowish brown, anterior part of head and gaster varying from black to dark brown. Wings colorless with brown veins and pterostigma.

Measurements (in mm). Holotype PE-2000/14: AL 4.0, HL 2.4, HW 2.0, ED 0.65.

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.