Lasius crispus

Introduction

Lasius crispus is an extinct ant species known only from fossil specimens. Workers were approximately 3-4mm in total length based on fossil measurements. This species was part of the Dendrolasius subgenus and is native to what is now Japan, with fossil records also from France dating to the Mio-Pliocene epoch. The species was originally described from wing fossils and is considered a paleontological specimen rather than a living species. It was recorded in modern times from Hokkaido, Honshu, and Shikoku islands in Japan, though these may represent either relict populations or taxonomic confusion with similar species. Nuptial flights in modern records occur in August, and these ants prefer grassland habitats .