Tyrannomecia, Jouault & Nel, 2021

Jouault, Corentin & Nel, André, 2021, The oldest Cenozoic ant fossil: † Tyrannomecia gen. nov. (Formicidae: Myrmeciinae) from the Palaeocene Menat Formation (France), Historical Biology 34 (11), pp. 2241-2248 : 3-4

Tyrannomecia gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C8DFF49D-104C-4066-8066-60EE65 79BF56

Type species

Tyrannomecia inopinata sp. nov.

Diagnosis

Worker. Head slightly longer than wide (ca. 1.20 ×); eyes large (0.26 × head length), located anteriad head mid-length, near epistomal (clypeal) margin; mandibles elongate (not triangular), shorter than head (ca. 0.61 × as long as head length), not broadly crossing apically (sensu Bolton 2003), with small tubercles/teeth along masticatory margin (as in Nothomyrmecia ); propodeum smooth (without propodeal tooth); petiole short, dorsal surface broadly rounded, posterior surface with a conspicuous tooth; sternite of AIII without visible prora (if present, not in form of a longitudinal keel); AIII and AIV separated by a constriction.

Etymology

The genus name is a combination of the Latin word tyrannus, from the ancient Greek τύραννο) meaning absolute ruler, and the suffix ‘mecia’, often used for ant genus names. Gender feminine.