Gesomyrmex pulcher
Gesomyrmex pulcher Temporal range:
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Gesomyrmex pulcher holotype | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Formicinae |
Genus: | Gesomyrmex |
Species: | †G. pulcher
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Binomial name | |
†Gesomyrmex pulcher Dlussky, Wappler, & Wedmann, 2009
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Gesomyrmex pulcher is an
History and classification
When described, Gesomyrmex pulcher was known from a solitary fossil insect which is a
At the time of description, the holotype specimen, number SMF MeI 10999, was preserved in the Senckenberg Research Station Messel fossil collections. The insect was first studied by German entomologists Gennady Dlussky, Torsten Wappler and Sonja Wedmann; their 2009 type description of the new species was published in the electronic journal Zootaxa. The specific epithet pulcher is Latin, meaning "beautiful".[1]
The species is one of eight Gesomyrmex species, all of which have been described from European fossils. Three species were described prior to G. pulcher, G. bremii in 1849, G. hoernesi in 1868, and G. miegi in 1937. The remaining four species; G. breviceps, G. curiosus, G. flavescens, and G. germanicus were all described by Dlussky et al in the same 2009 paper as G. pulcher.[1] Six modern Gesomyrmex species have been described so far, all from the tropical regions of Asia, creating a disjunct distribution between the fossil species and the modern species.[1]
Description
The Gesomyrmex pulcher specimen is a partially preserved adult queen, which was fossilized with her dorsal side facing upwards and the attached wings folded along her back. The overall length of the queen is approximately 4.8 mm (0.19 in) and the head has an estimated length of 0.95 mm (0.037 in). The antennae are slender in appearance, composed of a scape which extends to the middle of the eye and ten funicular segments which are either shorter than they are wide, or equal in height and width.[1]
References
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