Hymenoptera in Canadian Cretaceous amber (Insecta)

Abstract

An overview of the hymenopteran (sawflies, wasps, ants, and bees) taxa known from Canadian Late Cretaceous (Campanian) amber is presented. These taxa are discussed in the context of hymenopteran phylogeny and the fossil assemblages within other well-known Cretaceous ambers. This provides some insight into the taxa present in the region subsequent to the Mesozoic diversification of the order, and just prior to the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event. Fossil records of Hymenoptera within Canadian amber are revised, and future work and expectations for hymenopterans within the deposit are also outlined.