Liometopum bogdassarovi (Nazaraw, Bagdasaraw & Uriew) Heterick & Shattuck, 2011

Heterick, Brian E. & Shattuck, Steve, 2011, Revision of the ant genus Iridomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) 2845, Zootaxa 2845 (1), pp. 1-174 : 171

Liometopum bogdassarovi (Nazaraw, Bagdasaraw & Uriew) , comb. nov.

Iridomyrmex bogdassarovi Nazaraw, Bagdasaraw & Uriew, 1994: 106 .

Types. Holotype worker from Belarus (Quaternary).

Comments. This relatively young fossil from the Quaternary period (present to 2.5mya) almost certainly belongs to the genus Liometopum rather than Iridomyrmex . The illustration of the front of the head (Nazarw et al., 1994, fig. 2a) is typical of modern Liometopum species , with small anteriorly placed eyes and a roughly cordate head capsule which is narrowed at the mandibles (although slightly more than modern species) ( Del Toro et al., 2009). While the figure shows only a top view of the body, this is also consistent with general Liometopum morphology. Until a more detailed study of the actual specimen can be undertaken, it seems appropriate to transfer this species from Iridomyrmex to Liometopum .