O. paleomyagra is known from a single ant found in the Czech Republic.[1] The specimen was described from a compression fossil preserved in lignite deposits of the Most Basin. The site is exposed because of the workings of the Bílina Mine, an opencast lignite mine in Bílina, Bohemia, Czech Republic. The mine exposes an approximately 150 m (490 ft) thick sequence of deposits recording the progression of a delta lake and bog ecosystem.[2] Fossils of eleven[3] different insect orders are recorded in the Bílina site, representing members of 31 different insect families, with formicids being the most common insects, being nearly 40% of the specimens collected.[4]
Over the lifetime of the lake, the Bílina area was a delta region of a large drainage system emptying into a shallow 5 km (5,000.0 m) lake, with expansive peat bogs surrounding it. There are several different fish and at least one frog from the genus Rana also known from the Bílina mine area that may have fed on the ants that fell into the lake.[3] The low bog forest where O. paleomyagra lived had a mix of temperate plants such as alders, oaks and swamp cypress along with more tropical plants such as climbing fern, palmetto and rattan palms.[5]
The fossil was studied by a team of paleoentomologists led by Torsten Wappeler, with the group's 2014 type description of the new species being published in the journal Paläontologische Zeitschrift.[1] The specific epithetpaleomyagra is a combination of the Greek words for "ancient", "mouse", and "trap".[6] When first described, O. paleomyagra was one of three Odontomachus species that had been described from fossils, with both Odontomachus pseudobauri and Odontomachus spinifer being described in 1994 from fossils found in Dominican amber. Both Dominican amber species are placed in the Odontomachushaematodus species group, which is neotropical in distribution. O. paleomyagra is distinct from haematodus group species in the less complex mandible dentition, and in the shape of the head.[7]
The simpler mandibles of O. paleomyagra are closer to those of the extant south-east African species Odontomachus assiniensis and to the south-east Asian species group rixosus, including Odontomachus rixosus, Odontomachus monticola, and Odontomachus latidens.[7] Unlike these species however, O. paleomyagra has a shorter more squared off head, rather than the elongated heads of the modern species.[7]
Descriptionedit
The O. paleomyagra queen is estimated to have been 12 mm (0.47 in) long. The fossil has a total preserved length of 10.5 mm (0.41 in). The head is nearly square in outline, being only 1.2 times longer than wide, with slightly bowed-in sides, rear corners which are rounded and the rear edge which is concave. The front region of the head has distinct striations, and the small oval eyes are placed notably close to the front edge of the head. There is little constriction of the head to the rear of the eyes, with the width across the eyes 1.06 time the width across the vertex of the head. In front of the clypeus, the bases of the long straight mandibles are placed close together. On the masticatory margin there are no denticles, with possibly three teeth present at the tip end of each mandible. Only two are visible. The thorax is slightly elongated, with a mesoscutum that is a little wider than long and attaching with no overhang of the sclerites to the propodeum. The petiole is rounded and narrow, without a spine on the upper surface.[7]
Wappler, T; Dlussky, G.M.; Engel, M. S.; Prokop, J.; Knor, S. (2014). "A new trap-jaw ant species of the genus Odontomachus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae) from the Early Miocene (Burdigalian) of the Czech Republic" (PDF). Paläontologische Zeitschrift. 88 (4): 495–502. doi:10.1007/s12542-013-0212-2. S2CID 86263452.
Kvacek, Z.; Bohme, M.; Dvorak, Z.; Konzalová, M.; Mach, K.; Prokop, J.; Rajchl, M. (2004). "Early Miocene freshwater and swamp ecosystems of the Most Basin (northern Bohemia) with particular reference to the Bílina Mine section" (PDF). Journal of the Czech Geological Society. 49 (1–2): 1–40.
External linksedit
Media related to Odontomachus paleomyagra at Wikimedia Commons
January 01, 1970
odontomachus, paleomyagra, extinct, species, formicid, subfamily, ponerinae, known, from, miocene, fossil, found, europe, temporal, range, priabonian, preꞒ, holotype, scientific, classification, domain, eukaryota, kingdom, animalia, phylum, arthropoda, class, . Odontomachus paleomyagra is an extinct species of formicid in the ant subfamily Ponerinae known from a Miocene fossil found in Europe Odontomachus paleomyagraTemporal range Priabonian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Odontomachus paleomyagra holotype Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Arthropoda Class Insecta Order Hymenoptera Family Formicidae Genus Odontomachus Species O paleomyagra Binomial name Odontomachus paleomyagraWappler Dlussky Engel Prokop amp Knor 2014 Contents 1 History and classification 2 Description 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksHistory and classification editO paleomyagra is known from a single ant found in the Czech Republic 1 The specimen was described from a compression fossil preserved in lignite deposits of the Most Basin The site is exposed because of the workings of the Bilina Mine an opencast lignite mine in Bilina Bohemia Czech Republic The mine exposes an approximately 150 m 490 ft thick sequence of deposits recording the progression of a delta lake and bog ecosystem 2 Fossils of eleven 3 different insect orders are recorded in the Bilina site representing members of 31 different insect families with formicids being the most common insects being nearly 40 of the specimens collected 4 Over the lifetime of the lake the Bilina area was a delta region of a large drainage system emptying into a shallow 5 km 5 000 0 m lake with expansive peat bogs surrounding it There are several different fish and at least one frog from the genus Rana also known from the Bilina mine area that may have fed on the ants that fell into the lake 3 The low bog forest where O paleomyagra lived had a mix of temperate plants such as alders oaks and swamp cypress along with more tropical plants such as climbing fern palmetto and rattan palms 5 nbsp Odontomachus assiniensis worker nbsp O paleomyagra head The fossil was studied by a team of paleoentomologists led by Torsten Wappeler with the group s 2014 type description of the new species being published in the journal Palaontologische Zeitschrift 1 The specific epithet paleomyagra is a combination of the Greek words for ancient mouse and trap 6 When first described O paleomyagra was one of three Odontomachus species that had been described from fossils with both Odontomachus pseudobauri and Odontomachus spinifer being described in 1994 from fossils found in Dominican amber Both Dominican amber species are placed in the Odontomachus haematodus species group which is neotropical in distribution O paleomyagra is distinct from haematodus group species in the less complex mandible dentition and in the shape of the head 7 The simpler mandibles of O paleomyagra are closer to those of the extant south east African species Odontomachus assiniensis and to the south east Asian species group rixosus including Odontomachus rixosus Odontomachus monticola and Odontomachus latidens 7 Unlike these species however O paleomyagra has a shorter more squared off head rather than the elongated heads of the modern species 7 Description editThe O paleomyagra queen is estimated to have been 12 mm 0 47 in long The fossil has a total preserved length of 10 5 mm 0 41 in The head is nearly square in outline being only 1 2 times longer than wide with slightly bowed in sides rear corners which are rounded and the rear edge which is concave The front region of the head has distinct striations and the small oval eyes are placed notably close to the front edge of the head There is little constriction of the head to the rear of the eyes with the width across the eyes 1 06 time the width across the vertex of the head In front of the clypeus the bases of the long straight mandibles are placed close together On the masticatory margin there are no denticles with possibly three teeth present at the tip end of each mandible Only two are visible The thorax is slightly elongated with a mesoscutum that is a little wider than long and attaching with no overhang of the sclerites to the propodeum The petiole is rounded and narrow without a spine on the upper surface 7 Notes edit a b Wappler et al pg 495 Kvacek et al pg 4 5 a b Kvacek et al pg 8 Wappler et al pg 497 Kvacek et al pg 13 14 Wappler et al pg 498 a b c d Wappler et al pg 499References editWappler T Dlussky G M Engel M S Prokop J Knor S 2014 A new trap jaw ant species of the genus Odontomachus Hymenoptera Formicidae Ponerinae from the Early Miocene Burdigalian of the Czech Republic PDF Palaontologische Zeitschrift 88 4 495 502 doi 10 1007 s12542 013 0212 2 S2CID 86263452 Kvacek Z Bohme M Dvorak Z Konzalova M Mach K Prokop J Rajchl M 2004 Early Miocene freshwater and swamp ecosystems of the Most Basin northern Bohemia with particular reference to the Bilina Mine section PDF Journal of the Czech Geological Society 49 1 2 1 40 External links edit nbsp Media related to Odontomachus paleomyagra at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Odontomachus paleomyagra amp oldid 1217708234, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
