Fossil Ant Colony: First African Ant Fossils And Colony Preservation.pdf

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Preview of Fossil Ant Colony: First African Ant Fossils and Colony Preservation
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Summary

The fossil remains of an ant colony, Oecophylla leakeyi, were discovered in Lower Miocene deposits on Mfwangano Island, Lake Victoria, Kenya. The colony is the first fossil insect colony ever recorded and provides evidence of social antiquity. The workers of O. leakeyi are characterized by their large size, massive cordate head, and well-developed ocelli. The mesosoma is stouter than in living species, and the petiole is not well preserved. The gaster has the typical form of the genus. The holotype is a major worker head with a maximum width of 2.36 mm and a length of 2.19 mm. The fossil colony consists of 438 specimens, including 197 larvae, 105 worker pupae, 24 worker heads, 48 worker mesosomas, and 64 worker petioles. The genus Oecophylla is represented by two living species, O. smaragdina and O. longinoda, which are found in tropical Africa and are known for their "weaver ants" behavior. The fossil species O. leakeyi is a divergent member of the genus, with a larger size and retention of ocelli in the major worker caste. It is likely to have evolved from the Eocene species O. brischkei. The discovery of O. leakeyi provides new evidence of the social structure and biology of ants in the past and highlights the importance of fossil evidence in understanding the evolution of social insects.

Description

The fossil remains are the first ant fossils from Africa south of the Sahara and comprise a fragment of a preserved ant colony. Measurements of worker polymorphism were made, allowing deductions about the biology and social structure of an ant species from 30 million years ago.

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  • File Format: PDF
  • File Size: 1.32 MB
  • Pages: 11
  • Language: EN
  • Total Downloads: 39
  • Last Updated: 2 days ago

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