Aphaenogaster praerelicta

Introduction

Aphaenogaster praerelicta is an extinct ant species known only from fossils preserved in Chiapas Amber from Mexico, dating to the Oligocene-Miocene boundary approximately 23-30 million years ago . Workers were relatively large at over 6 mm in total length and possessed distinctive long propodeal spines that widened at the base, plus small teeth on the pronotum . Unlike many fossil ants that show bizarre specializations, these ants look remarkably similar to modern Aphaenogaster species, suggesting they foraged through the ancient forests of Mexico in much the same way their living relatives do today . This species was formally described by De Andrade in 1995 from worker specimens preserved in amber [AntWiki]. While these ants cannot be kept in captivity, studying them helps us understand how the genus Aphaenogaster has persisted and changed over millions of years. If you are looking for living ants to keep, consider extant Aphaenogaster species instead.