Cephalotes alveolatus

Introduction

Cephalotes alveolatus is an extinct species of turtle ant known only from fossils preserved in Dominican amber dating to the Miocene epoch, approximately 15-20 million years ago . Workers measured 5.56-6.32mm in total length, featuring abundant erect clubbed hairs covering the body, a pair of denticles on the vertex, and distinctive pronotal lamellae. The species belongs to the coffeae clade and is unique within this group for having abundant clavate hairs . This ant cannot be kept in captivity - it went extinct millions of years ago and only fossil specimens preserved in amber exist.