Emplastus miocenicus

Introduction

Emplastus miocenicus is an extinct ant species from the Miocene epoch, known only from fossil specimens discovered in Radoboj, Croatia. This ancient species belonged to the subfamily Dolichoderinae and has been dated to approximately 11-16 million years ago. The species was formally described in 2014 by Dlussky and Putyatina based on well-preserved female (queen) specimens found in Miocene sediment deposits . Queens measured around 13.5mm in body length, making them substantial ants comparable in size to many modern Dolichoderine species . The genus Emplastus is now considered extinct, with no living representatives known to science.