Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2009-03-09
Page range: 1–20
Abstract views: 53
PDF downloaded: 1

Fossil ants of the genus Gesomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the Eocene of Europe and remarks on the evolution of arboreal ant communities

Department of Evolution, Biological Faculty, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. Vorobjovy gory, 119992, Moscow, Russia
Steinmann Institut für Geologie, Mineralogie, Paläontologie, Universität Bonn, Nussallee 8, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
Forschungsstation Grube Messel, Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Markstraße 35, D-64409 Messel, Germany
Hymenoptera Formicidae Gesomyrmex Tertiary Eocene arboreal ants community structure

Abstract

The formicid genus Gesomyrmex is reviewed and several new species are described from the middle Eocene (about 47 Ma) of Grube Messel, Germany, and from the middle Eocene (about 43 Ma) of Eckfeld maar, Germany. The new taxa are Gesomyrmex curiosus n. sp., Gesomyrmex breviceps n. sp., and Gesomyrmex pulcher n. sp. from Messel, and Gesomyrmex flavescens n. sp., and Gesomyrmex germanicus n. sp. from Eckfeld maar. Two previosly described Oligocene species must be excluded from Gesomyrmex. Former G. expectans Théobald, 1937 is transferred to Eoformica expectans (Théobald, 1937) (comb. nov.), and former G. miegi Théobald, 1937 has to be considered as Formicidae incertae sedis (comb. nov.). A key to the living and fossil reproductive female caste (gyne) of the genus Gesomyrmex is provided. Given the fossil records of Gesomyrmex hoernesi Mayr, 1868 from different European amber deposits the presence of this genus in Europe during the Eocene is well established. Both extant and fossil Gesomyrmex species have an arboreal mode of life. The comparison of arboreal ant faunas from Eocene to Recent times shows that their community structure apparently changed considerably during this period. We infer that Gesomyrmex, along with other genera, was most prosperous during the middle Eocene of Europe, and today has a relict distribution in southern Asia.

References

  1. André, E. (1892) Voyage de M. Chaper à Bornéo. Catalogue des fourmis et description des espèces nouvelles. Mémoires de la Société Zoologique de France, 5, 46–55.

    André, E. (1895) Notice sur les fourmis fossiles de l'ambre de la Baltique et description de deux espèces nouvelles. Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de France, 20, 80–84.

    Barthel, M. & Hetzer, H. (1982) Bernstein-Inklusen aus dem Miozän des Bitterfelder Raumes. Zeitschrft für angewandte Geologie, 28, 314–336.

    Beattie, A.J. & Hughes, L. (2002) Ant-plant interactions. In: Herrera, C.M. & Pellmyr, O. (Eds.), Plant-Animal Interactions: An Evolutionary Approach. Blackwell Science, Oxford, pp. 211–235.

    Bolton, B. (1994) Identification guide to the ant genera of the world. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 222 pp.

    Bolton, B. (1995) A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 504 pp.

    Bolton, B. (2003) Synopsis and classification of Formicidae. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institiute, 71, 1–370.

    Bolton, B., Alpert, G., Ward, P.S. & Nasrecki, P. (2006) Bolton’s Catalogue of ants of the world. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, CD-ROM.

    Brown, W. L., Jr. (1950) Morphological, taxonomic, and other notes on ants. Wasmann J. Biol. 8, 241–250.

    Burnham, L. (1978) Survey of social insects in the fossil records. Psyche, 89, 85–133.

    Cole Jr., A.C. (1949) A study of the genus Gesomyrmex Mayr, and a description of a species new to the genus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annals of the Eontomological Society of America, 42, 71–76.

    Dalla Torre von., K.W. (1893) Catalogus Hymenopterorum hucusque descriptorum systematicus et synonymicus. Vol. 7. Formicidae (Heterogyna). W. Engelmann, Leipzig, 289 pp.

    De Greef, S. (2007) Ant survey. In: Preliminary Report for the Rapid Assessment Programm (RAP) survey in Virachey National Park, Cambodia, 1–5 October 2007, Conservation International editor, pp. 10–12.

    Dlussky, G.M. (1997) Genera of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Baltic amber. Paleontologicheskii Zhurnal, 1997 (6), 50–62 [in Russian, English translation: Paleontological Journal, 31 (6): 616–627].

    Dlussky, G.M. (2002) Ants of the genus Dolichoderus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Baltic and Rovno ambers. Paleontologicheskii Zhurnal, 2002 (2), 54–68 [in Russian, English translation: Paleontological Journal, 36, 50–63]

    Dlussky, G.M. (in press) New data on ants of the genus Dolichoderus Lund (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from late Eocene ambers of Europe. Vestnik Zoologii. [in Russian]

    Dlussky, G.M. & Fedoseeva, E.B. (1988) The origin and early evolutional steps of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) [in Russian]. In: Ponomarenko, A.G. (Ed.), Cretaceous biocenotic crisis and evolution of the insects. Nauka Press, Moscow, pp. 70–144.

    Dlussky, G.M. & Perkovsky, E.E. (2002) Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the Rovno amber. Vestnik Zoologii, 36, 3–20.

    Dlussky, G.M. & Rasnitsyn, A.P., 2003 [2002]. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of formation Green River and some other middle Eocene deposits of North America. Russian Entomological Journal, 11, 411–436.

    Dlussky, G.M. & Rasnitsyn, A.P. (2007) Paleontological record and stages of ant evolution. Uspekhi Sovremennoy Biologii, 127, 118–134. [in Russian]

    Dlussky, G.M. & Rasnitsyn, A.P. (in press) Ants (Insecta: Vespida: Formicidae) in the Upper Eocene amber of Europe. Transactions of the Paleontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

    Dlussky, G.M., Wappler, T. & Wedmann, S. (2008) New middle Eocene formicid species from Germany and the evolution of weaver ants. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 53, 615–626.

    Dubovikoff, D.A. (2004) A new species of the genus Gesomyrmex Mayr, 1868 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Vietnam. Trudy Russkogo Entomologicheskogo Obshchestva, 75, 219–221.

    Emery, C. (1895) Die Gattung Dorylus Fab. und die systematische Eintheilung der Formiciden. Zoologische Jahrbücher (Systematik, Oekologie, Geographie der Tiere), 8, 685–778.

    Emery, C. (1905) Deux fourmis de l'ambre de la Baltique (Hym.). Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 1905, 187–189.

    Emery, C. (1925) Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum, 183, 1–302.

    Felder, M. & Harms F.-J. (2004) Lithologie und genetische Interpretation der vulkano-sedimentären Ablagerungen aus der Grube Messel anhand der Forschungsbohrung Messel 2001 und weiterer Bohrungen. Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, 252, 151–203.

    Floren, A., Biun, A. & Linsenmair, K.E. (2002) Arboreal ants as key predators in tropical lowland rainforest trees. Oecologia, 131, 137–144.

    Fuhrmann, R. (2005) Die Bernsteinlagerstätte Bitterfeld, nur ein Höhepunkt des Vorkommens von Bernstein (Succinit) im Tertiär Mitteldeutschlands. Zeitschrift der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften, 156, 517–529.

    Hamann, H.H.F. (1957) On a new record of Gesomyrmex Mayr (Formicidae). Idea 10 (4), 1–6.

    Handlirsch, A. (1907) Die fossilen Insekten und die Phylogenie der rezenten Formen. Ein Handbuch für Paläontologen und Zoologen. Lieferung 6. Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig, pp. 801–960.

    Hoffeins, C. & Hoffeins, H.W. (2003) Untersuchungen über die Häufigkeit von Inklusen in Baltischem und Bitterfelder Bernstein (Tertiär, Eozän) aus unselektierten Aufsammlungen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Ordnung Diptera. Studia Dipterologica, 10, 381–392.

    Hölldobler, B. & Wilson, E.O. (1990) The ants. Springer Verlag, Berlin, 732 pp.

    Knuth, G., Koch, T., Rappsilber, I., & Volland, L. (2002) Zum Bernstein im Bitterfelder Raum - Geologie und genetische Aspekte. Hallesches Jahrbuch für Geowissenschaften, (ser. B), 24, 35–46.

    Koenigswald von, W. & Storch, G. (1998) Messel. Ein Pompeji der Paläontologie. Jan Thorbecke Verlag, Sigmaringen, 151 pp.

    Lutz, H. (1986) Eine neue Unterfamilie der Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) aus dem mittel-eozänen Ölschiefer der "Grube Messel" bei Darmstadt (Deutschland, S-Hessen). Senckenbergiana Lethaea, 67, 177–218.

    Lutz, H. (1990) Systematische und palökologische Untersuchungen an Insekten aus dem Mittel-Eozän der Grube Messel bei Darmstadt. Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, 124, 1–165.

    Lutz, H. (1993) Zur Taphonomie der aquatischen und terrestrischen Fauna des „Eckfelder Maares“ (Mittel-Eozän; Deutschland): Ergebnisse aus den Grabungen 1990–1992. Mainzer Naturwissenschaftliches Archiv, 31, 85–113.

    Lutz, H. & Kaulfuß, U. (2006) A dynamic model for the meromictic lake Eckfeld Maar (Middle Eocene, Germany). Zeitschrift der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften, 157, 433–450.

    Lutz, H., Neuffer, F.O., Frankenhäuser, H. & Gwosdek, S. (1998) Forschungsprojekt Eckfelder Maar: Jahresbericht 1997. Mitteilungen der Rheinisch Naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 19, 35–37.

    Lutz, H. & Neuffer. F.O. (2000) The middle Eocene fossillagerstätte Eckfeld Maar. GFF, 122, 95–96.

    Mayr, G. (1867) Vorläufige Studien über die Radoboj-Formiciden, in der Sammlung der k. k. geologischen Reichsanstalt. Jahrbuch der K-K. Geologischen Reichsanstalt Wien, 17, 47–62.

    Mayr, G. (1868) Die Ameisen des baltischen Bernsteins. Beiträge zur Naturkunde Preussens Königlischen Pysikalisch-Ökonomischen Gesellschaft zu Königsberg, 1, 1–102.

    Mertz, D.F., Harms, F.-J., Gabriel, G. & Felder, M. (2004) Arbeitstreffen in der Forschungsstation Grube Messel mit neuen Ergebnissen aus der Messel-Forschung. Natur und Museum, 134, 289–290.

    Mertz, D.F. & Renne, P.R. (2005) A numerical age for the Messel fossil deposit (UNESCO World Heritage Site) derived from 40Ar/39Ar dating on a basaltic rock fragment. Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, 255, 67–75.

    Neuffer, F.O., Gruber, G., Lutz, H. & Frankenhäuser, H. (1996) Das Eckfelder Maar – Zeuge tropischen Lebens in der Eifel. Mainzer Naturhistorisches Museum, Mainz, 102 pp.

    Perkovsky, E.E., Zosimovich, V.Yu. & Vlaskin, A.P. (2003) A Rovno amber fauna: a preliminary report. Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 46 (suppl.- Fossil insects), 423–430.

    Perkovsky, E.E., Rasnitsyn, A.P., Vlaskin, A.P. & Taraschuk, M.V. (2007) A comparative analysis of the Baltic and Rovno amber arthropod faunas: representative samples. African Invertebrates, 48, 229–245.

    Pirung, M., Büchel, G. & Jacoby, W. (2001) The Tertiary volcanic basins of Eckfeld, Enspel and Messel (Germany). Zeitschrift der Deutschen Geologischen Gesellschaft, 152, 27–59.

    Ponomarenko, A.G. & Schultz, O. (1988) Typen der Geologisch-Paläontologischen Abteilung: Fossile Insekten // Kataloge der wissenschaftl. Sammlung des Naturhistorischen Museum in Wien. Paläozoologie, 6, 1–30.

    Röschmann, F. (1997) Ökofaunistischer Vergleich von Nematoceren-Faunen des Baltischen und Sächsischen Bernsteins. Paläontologische Zeitschrift, 71, 79–87.

    Richter, G. & Baszio, S. (2001) Traces of a limnic food web in the Eocene lake Messel – a preliminary report based on fish coprolite analyses. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatolology, Palaeoecolology, 166, 345–368.

    Richter, G. & Wedmann, S. (2005) Ecology of the Eocene Lake Messel revealed by analysis of small fish coprolites and sediments from a drilling core. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatolology, Palaeoecolology, 223, 147–161.

    Ritzkowski, S. (1997) K-Ar-Altersbestimmungen der bernsteinführenden Sedimente des Samlandes (Paläogen, Bezirk kaliningrad). Sonderheft Metalla, 1997, 19–23.

    Schaal, S. & Ziegler, W. (Eds.) (1992) Messel. An insight into the history of life and of the Earth. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 322 pp.

    Schulz, R., Harms, F.-J. & Felder, M. (2002) Die Forschungsbohrung Messel 2001: Ein Beitrag zur Entschlüsselung der Genese einer Ölschieferlagerstätte. Zeitschrift für angewandte Geologie, 2002, 9–17.

    Théobald, N. (1937) Les insectes fossiles des terrains oligocènes de France. G. Thomas, Nancy, 473 pp.

    Tröster, G. (1991) Eine neue Gattung der Elateridae (Insecta: Coleoptera) Macropunctum gen. n. aus der Messel-Formation des unteren Mittel-Eozän der Fundstätte Messel. Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, 139, 99–117.

    Tröster, G. (1993) Fossile Schnellkäfer der Gattung Lanelater Arnett 1952 (Coleoptera, Pyrophorinae, Agrypnini) aus dem Eozän der Grube Messel bei Darmstadt. Senckenbergiana Lethaea, 73, 49–60.

    Wappler, T. (2003) Die Insekten aus dem Mittel-Eozän des Eckfelder Maares, Vulkaneifel. Mainzer Naturwissenschaftliches Archiv, Beiheft, 27, 1–234.

    Wappler, T. & Andersen, N.M. (2004) Fossil water striders from the Middle Eocene fossil sites Eckfeld and Messel, Germany (Hemiptera, Gerromorpha). Paläontologische Zeitschrift, 78, 41–52.

    Wappler, T. & Ben-Dov, Y. (2008) Preservation of armoured scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Diaspididae) on angiosperm leaves from the Eocene of Germany. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 53, 627–634.

    Wappler, T, Dlussky, G.M. & Reuter, M (in press) The first fossil record of Polyrhachis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Fomicinae) from the upper Miocene of Crete (Greece). Paläontologische Zeitschrift

    Wappler, T. & Engel, M.S. (2003) The middle Eocene bee faunas of Eckfeld and Messel, Germany (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Journal of Paleontology, 77, 908–921.

    Wappler, T. & Engel, M.S. (2006) New record of Mastotermes from the Eocene of Germany (Isoptera: Mastotermitidae). Journal of Paleontology, 80, 380–385.

    Wappler, T., Smith, V.S. & Dalgleish, R.C. (2004) Scratching an ancient itch: an Eocene bird louse fossil. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B (Suppl.), 271, 255–258.

    Wedmann, S. (2005) Annotated taxon-list of the invertebrate animals from the Eocene fossil site Grube Messel near Darmstadt, Germany. Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, 255, 103–110.

    Wedmann, S., Bradler, S. & Rust, J. (2007) The first fossil leaf insect: 47 million years of specialized cryptic morphology and behavior. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 104, 565–569.

    Wedmann, S. & Yeates, D. (2008) Eocene records of bee flies (Insecta, Diptera, Bombyliidae, Comptosia): Their paleobiogeographic implications and remarks on the evolutionary history of bombyliids. Palaeontology, 51, 231–240.

    Weitschat, W. (1997) Bitterfelder Bernstein – Ein eozäner Bernstein auf miozäner Lägerstätte. Metalla, 66, 71–84.

    Weitschat, W. & Wichard, W. (1998) Atlas der Pflanzen und Tiere im Baltischen Bernstein. Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, München, 256 pp.

    Wheeler, W.M. (1915) The ants of the Baltic Amber. Schriften der Physikalisch-Ökonomischen Gesellschaft zu Königsberg, 55, 1–142.

    Wheeler, W.M. (1916) Four new and interesting ants from the mountains of Borneo and Luzon. Proceedings of the New England Zoological Club, 6, 9–18.

    Wheeler, W. M. (1921) Chinese ants collected by Prof. C. W. Howard. Psyche, 28, 110–115.

    Wheeler, W.M. (1929) The identity of the ant genera Gesomyrmex Mayr and Dimorphomyrmex Ernest André. Psyche, 36, 1–12.

    Wheeler, W.M. (1930) A second note on Gesomyrmex. Psyche, 37, 35–40.

    Zakharov, A.A. (1994) Ant population structure on the islands of Tonga and Western Samoa In: Puzatchenko, Y.G., Golovatch S.I., Dlussky, G.M., Diakonov, K.N., Zakharov, A.A. & Korganova, G.A. (Eds.), Animal population of the islands of Southwestern Oceania (Ecogeographic studies). Nauka Press, Moscow, pp. 94–142. [in Russian]