Bilobomyrma new genus, a new extinct ant genus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the late Eocene European ambers

Abstract

A new fossil ant genus, Bilobomyrma new genus, and two new species are described based on males from the late Eocene Rovno (B. ukrainica n. sp.) and Baltic (B. baltica n. sp.) ambers. We tentatively place this genus in the myrmicine tribe Formicoxenini. Bilobomyrma is characterized by its 13-segmented antennae without an apical club; by the short scape, which is subequal to the length of the first and second funicular segments together; by the shape of the second funicular segment, which is distinctly longer than the any other funicular segment except for the apical one; by the presence of notauli on the scutum; by the absence of spurs on the middle and hind tibiae. At the same time, Bilobomyrma differs from other myrmicine genera by the peculiar shape of its clypeus, having a strongly incised medially, bilobed anterior margin, and its forewing venation: the wings have three closed cells—mcu, 1+2r and 3r; the cell 3r is very short, only twice as long as its width; the distal section of veins RS and M diverge from the cell 1+2r separately.