Gesomyrmex pulcher, Dlussky, Gennady M., Wappler, Torsten & Wedmann, Sonja, 2009

Dlussky, Gennady M., Wappler, Torsten & Wedmann, Sonja, 2009, Fossil ants of the genus Gesomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the Eocene of Europe and remarks on the evolution of arboreal ant communities, Zootaxa 2031, pp. 1-20 : 11

Gesomyrmex pulcher sp. nov.

( Fig. 4 A and Fig. 6 G)

Derivation of the name. Pulcher is Latin for beautiful.

Holotype: SMF MeI 10999 (Ƥ).

Type locality and horizon. Grube Messel, Hesse, Germany. Messel formation, Middle Eocene, ca. 47 Ma ( Mertz & Renne 2005).

Description. Gyne. BL 4.8 mm. Head 1.3 times longer than wide, with parallel sides and distinctively concave posterior margin. Clypeus longitudinally striated. Anterior clypeal margin projected as rounded lobe. Eyes large, ovate, head 2.6 times longer than maximum eye diameter. Antenna 10-segmented. Scape reaches the middle of eye; head 3.5 times longer than scape. Funicular joints about as long as thick, or shorter than thick. Mandible triangular with 4 massive blunt teeth. Mesosoma narrower than head. Scutum a little wider than long. Scutellum 1.5 times wider than long. Head and most part of mesosoma yellowish brown, mandibles, central part of scutum, whole scutellum and median parts of gastral tergites dark brown. Legs yellow.

Measurements (in mm). Holotype MeI 10999: AL 1.35, HL 0.95, HW 0.76, SL 0.28, ED 0.37.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Gesomyrmex species from Messel. (A) G. p u l c h e r sp. nov., gyne, holotype MeI 10999. (B) G. breviceps sp. nov., gyne, holotype MeI 2305. (C) G. curiosus sp. nov., head of gyne, holotype MeI 11953. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Photographs of different casts and species of Gesomyrmex. (A) Gesomyrmex hoernesi Mayr – minor worker GMUG. BST. 0 4207. (B) Gesomyrmex hoernesi Mayr – worker PMHU. 13 / 221. (C) Gesomyrmex hoernesi Mayr – male MKC. F- 010. (D) Gesomyrmex hoernesi Mayr – major worker SIZK. K- 419. (E) Gesomyrmex hoernesi Mayr – gyne PMHU. 7 / 229. (F) G. b re v ic e ps sp. nov., gyne, holotype MeI 2305. (G) G. pulcher sp. nov., gyne, holotype MeI 10999. (H) G. curiosus sp. nov., head of gyne, holotype MeI 11953. (I) G. germanicus sp. nov., gyne, holotype PE- 1997 / 29. (J) G. flavescens sp. n., gyne, holotype PE- 2000 / 14. Scale bars = 1 mm.