Formica primitiva

Introduction

Formica primitiva is an extinct ant species known only from fossil specimens preserved in Miocene-era deposits from Oeningen, Switzerland . The species was described in 1849 by Oswald Heer based on five male specimens, providing a rare glimpse into ant diversity during the Miocene epoch . The fossils show a black species with a small oval head, oblong-oval pronotum, and oval abdomen, measuring approximately 10mm in total length . Researchers have suggested this species may represent the male of Formica primordialis, sharing morphological similarities with the male of Formica rufa . As a fossil species, Formica primitiva cannot be kept in captivity, no living colonies exist.