New Finds of the Fossil Ant Genus Prionomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmeciinae) in Late Eocene European Amber

Abstract

A new species of the fossil genus Prionomyrmex, P. gusakovi sp. nov., represented by three workers from Baltic amber (Late Eocene, Priabonian, 33.9–37.2 Mya), is described. Prionomyrmex longiceps Mayr was first identified in the coeval Rovno amber from Ukraine. The differences between the species described and other known species of the genus are presented. The main problems of evolution and systematics of the extinct representatives of the subfamily Myrmeciinae are discussed.