A New Extinct Ant Genus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Baltic Amber

Abstract

A new extinct genus and species from the subfamily Dolichoderinae, Dlusskyus groehni gen. et sp. nov., is described based on the single male from Baltic amber (late Eocene, 37.8–33.9 Ma). It differs from all extant and extinct Dolichoderinae genera in the following combination of features: antennae 13-segmented, scape shorter than the second funicular segment, which is the longest; palp formula 6, 4; clypeus not inserted between frontal carinae, frontal triangle well outlined and separated from clypeus by suture; clypeus with longitudinal median carina, its anterior margin very weakly convex, without medial notch; mandibles crossing when closed, masticatory margin long, with two minute sharp apical and preapical teeth and a row of minute sharp denticles, serrate; scutum without notauli; petiole nodiform, with short peduncle; meso- and metatibiae with large simple spur; pretarsal claws without preapical tooth; posterior margin of pygidium with median tooth; subgenital plate with very shallow median notch; pygostiles present; stipites of genitalia very weakly curved, narrow, with rounded apices, telomeres not strongly elongated; forewings with closed cells 1r+2r, 3r, rm and mcu; jugal lobe absent. The taxonomic position of this genus is discussed.