Scientific illustration of Formica oculata ant - showing key identification features including head, thorax, and gaster.

Fossil Formica oculata

Non-Parasitic Queen No Gamergate
Sci. Name
Formica oculata
Tribe
Formicini
Subfamily
Formicinae
Author
Heer, 1849
Fossil
Yes (fossil species)
Incertae Sedis
Incertae Sedis in Family
Distribution
Found in 0 countries

Introduction

Formica oculata is an extinct ant species known only from fossil specimens preserved in Miocene-era deposits from Radoboj, Croatia. The species was originally described in 1849 by Oswald Heer based on a single specimen, with subsequent research revealing the original specimen was a gyne (queen) rather than a male as initially identified. Only fossil imprints exist, and the preservation quality is too poor to confidently place the species within any known Formica group. This species existed approximately 20 million years ago during the Early Miocene period and has no living representatives.

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Status by country, from Kass et al. 2022 & Wong et al. 2023

Native Invasive Introduced (indoor) Intercepted Unknown
2000 - 2026
Fossil

No caresheet needed

Formica oculata is a fossil species and does not require a caresheet.