Boltonimecia

Boltonimecia Temporal range: Campanian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
B. canadensis holotype worker
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	†Zigrasimeciinae
Genus:	†Boltonimecia Borysenko, 2017
Species:	†B. canadensis
Binomial name
†Boltonimecia canadensis (Wilson, 1985)
Synonyms
Sphecomyrma canadensis

Boltonimecia is an

Two workers were first studied by paleoentomologist E. O. Wilson in 1985, a holotype and less complete paratype, both of which were held in the collections of the Biosystematics Research Institute in Ottawa. In the type description they were placed by Wilson as a species of Sphecomyrma, Sphecomyrma canadensis, with the species name a reference to the country of discovery. The similarity of visible traits between S. freyi and "S." canadensis was mentioned by Wilson in the description,^[3] but little descriptive information distinguishing the two was provided.^[4]

It was noted in 1988 by Dlussky and Fedoseeva that the original description was based mostly on measurements alone and further that the holotype and paratype workers were likely not from the same ant genus.^[4] In 1996, Dlussky noted the antennae of "S." canadensis differed from S. freyi, having a longer first and fifth funicular segments, while in S. freyi it is the second segment which is longest.^[5]

An analysis and re-examination of the type workers was conducted by Leonid H. Borysenko of the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes and the results were published in a 2017 paper. While examining the holotype, Borysenko noted that most of the head along with parts of the antennae and mandibles were obscured by positioning in the amber. Sections of the specimen were re-polished and a number of new details became visible, allowing for the re-description of the extinct

Paleohabitat

Analysis of the composition of Canadian amber indicates it originated as

The holotype worker is 3.2 mm (0.13 in) long with an 0.73 mm (0.029 in) head and a Weber's length of 1.2 mm (0.047 in). Much of the body is the same coloration as the surrounding amber, while the lower half of the propodeum and underside of the gaster are a brown to black tone. Additionally the undersides of the coxae plus the upper halves of the tibiae are brown to black, while the upper surfaces of the head and pronotum are an opaque black tone. There is no distinct sculpturing to the exoskeleton surface.^[1]

The head is small and wider than long, with a generally triangular outline in dorsal view.