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Formicidae
| Description | Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the Cretaceous period, about 140 million years ago, and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than 12,500 of an estimated total of 22,000 species have been classified. They are easily identified by their elbowed antennae and the distinctive node-like structure that forms their slender waists. From Wikipedia article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formicidae, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Source Data |
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| Rank | genus (GBIF) family (PBDB) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxonomy (GBIF) | Life : Animalia : Arthropoda : Insecta : Hymenoptera : Formicidae : Formicidae | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxonomy (PBDB) | Life : Animalia : Arthropoda : Insecta : Hymenoptera : Formicidae | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxonomic Status (GBIF) | doubtful | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification (PBDB,GBIF) |
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| Common Name | ant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scientific Name | Formicidae | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opinions (PBDB) |
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| Status (PBDB) | extant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxon Size (PBDB) | 1,002 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Extant Size (PBDB) | 164 (16%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First Recorded Appearance | 105 - 100 Ma Cretaceous | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Environment | terrestrial (based on Insecta) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Motility | actively mobile (based on Arthropoda) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taphonomy | chitin (based on Insecta) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Primary Reference (PBDB) | P. A. Latreille. 1802. Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière des Crustacés et des Insectes, Tome Troisième | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formicidae |
Fossil Distribution
Subtaxa
| Name | Status | Common Name(s) | Fossil Occurrences | Oldest | Youngest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agroecomyrmecinae ✝ subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 4 | 38.0 Ma Eocene | 37.2 Ma Eocene | |
| Amblyoponinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 9 | 48.6 Ma Eocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Aneuretinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 18 | 83.5 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Brownimeciinae ✝ subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Dolichoderinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 403 | 83.5 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Dorylinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 21 | 56.0 Ma Paleocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Ecitoninae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 0 Ma Extant | |||
| Ectatomminae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 23 | 83.5 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Formiciinae ✝ subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 9 | 50.3 Ma Eocene | 38.0 Ma Eocene | |
| Formicinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 598 | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Leptanillinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 0 Ma Extant | |||
| Myrmeciinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | Bulldog Ant | 37 | 56.0 Ma Paleocene | 0 Ma Extant |
 Myrmicinaegenus | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | Ant | 337 | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 0 Ma Extant |
| Paraponerinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 2 | 20.4 Ma Miocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Ponerinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 134 | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Proceratiinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 28 | 38.0 Ma Eocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Pseudomyrmecinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 53 | 47.8 Ma Eocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Sphecomyrmicinae ✝ subfamily | listed (PBDB) | ||||
| Sphecomyrminae ✝ subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 29 | 105 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | 83.5 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Calyptites ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 33.9 Ma Oligocene | 33.9 Ma Oligocene | |
| Camelomecia ✝ genus | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 3 | 99.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 99.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Eoformica ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 26 | 50.3 Ma Eocene | 33.9 Ma Oligocene | |
| Fonsecahymen ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 38.0 Ma Eocene | 38.0 Ma Eocene | |
| Gerontoformica ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 15 | 105 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | 99.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Klondikia ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 2 | 56.0 Ma Paleocene | 56.0 Ma Paleocene | |
| Kohlsimyrma ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 3 | 50.3 Ma Eocene | 50.3 Ma Eocene | |
| Myanmyrma ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 99.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 99.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Myrmicites ✝ genus | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 2 | 33.9 Ma Oligocene | 33.9 Ma Oligocene |
Synonymy List
| Year | Name and Author |
|---|---|
| 1802 | Formicariae Latreille p. 352 |
| 1802 | Formicoidea Latreille p. 352 |
| 1849 | Formica obtecta Heer p. 123 figs. Pl 9, fig 7 |
| 1849 | Formica obvoluta Heer p. 141 figs. Pl 10, fig 9 |
| 1849 | Formica oculata Heer p. 143 figs. Pl 10, fig 9 |
| 1849 | Ponera croatica Heer p. 148 figs. Pl 12, fig 3 |
| 1856 | Formica oculata Heer p. 28 |
| 1867 | Formica obvoluta Heer p. 16 figs. Pl 1, figs 17a |
| 1867 | Formica oculata Heer p. 17 figs. Pl 1, fig 18 |
| 1867 | Myrmica venusta Heer p. 31 figs. Pl 2, figs 12,12b |
| 1891 | Mutilla tenera Förster p. 423 figs. Pl 13, fig 1 |
| 1895 | Plagiolepis succini André p. 81 |
| 1920 | Camponotus (Colobopsis) brodiei Donisthorpe p. 93 figs. Pl 5, fig 13 |
| 1921 | Formicidae Cockerell |
| 1927 | Leucotaphus permancus Cockerell p. 165 |
| 1931 | Formicidae Pongrácz p. 114 |
| 1937 | Mutilla tenera Theobald p. 196 |
| 1937 | Gesomyrmex miegi Theobald p. 211 figs. Pl XIV fig 22; Pl XIV fig 23 |
| 1937 | Formica oculata Theobald p. 318 figs. Pl XXV fig 9 |
| 1964 | Poneropsis croatica Taylor p. 138 |
| Year | Name and Author |
|---|---|
| 1975 | Formicidae Rasnitsyn |
| 1975 | Formicoidea Rasnitsyn |
| 1983 | Formicoidea Dlussky |
| 1983 | Formicidae Hong p. 8 |
| 1983 | Formicoidea Hong p. 8 |
| 1985 | Formicidae Hong and Wang p. 20 |
| 1985 | Formicoidea Hong and Wang p. 20 |
| 1992 | Formicidae Carpenter |
| 1999 | Formicidae Brothers p. 243 |
| 2002 | Eocynipites Hong p. 449 |
| 2002 | Eocynipites xilutianensis Hong p. 450 figs. 2.8.85-92 |
| 2003 | Formicidae Wappler p. 128 |
| 2007 | Formicidae Sharkey |
| 2012 | Camponotus brodiei Bolton |
| 2012 | Formica obtecta Bolton |
| 2012 | Formica obvoluta Bolton |
| 2012 | Formica oculata Bolton |
| 2012 | Leucotaphus permancus Bolton |
| 2012 | Poneropsis croatica Bolton |
| 2018 | Formicidae Archibald et al. p. 222 |
References
Data courtesy of: PBDB: The Paleobiology Database, Creative Commons CC-BY licenced. , GBIF: the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, various licences, iDigBio, various licences, and EOL: The Encyclopedia of Life (Open Data Public Domain). Because fossils are made of minerals too!
