New genus and species of ponerine ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Mexican amber

Abstract

ABSTRACT A new genus and species of ponerine ant from Mexican amber, Siinikaponera sulimata, is described and illustrated. The type material is an amber inclusion from the Montecristo mine in Chiapas, Mexico, which dates back to the Oligo-Miocene period. Siinikaponera sulimata gen. et sp. nov. shares traits with other ants in the subfamily Ponerinae, including the outer edges of the frontal lobes forming simple short semicircles or blunt triangles, presence of promesonotal suture, meso- and metatibia with 0–2 spurs, antenna with 12 segments, constriction between the first and second gastral tergite well impressed, presence of sting, complete wing venation, and complete cell patterns. Siinikaponera sulimata gen. et sp. nov. also has unique features that separate it from other ponerine ants, such as fore, middle and hind tibiae with two spurs each, anterior margin of clypeus with two anteriorly projecting lobes, mandible dentition pattern, posterior peduncle of petiole long, and presence of relatively long coxae. A distinctive feature of Siinikaponera sulimata gen. et sp. nov. is the presence of two projecting lobes on the anterior clypeal margin, a plesiomorphic character shared with the genus Dinoponera. Accordingly, this new fossil record offers valuable insights into the worldwide diversity and distribution of ponerine ants.