Odontomachus pseudobauri

Introduction

Odontomachus pseudobauri is an extinct trap-jaw ant species preserved in Dominican amber from the Early Miocene period, approximately 17 million years ago . This fossil species belongs to the haematodus species group, which contains many living Neotropical trap-jaw ants . The only known specimens are worker ants, showing the characteristic trap-jaw mandibles that give modern Odontomachus ants their name. De Andrade originally described the species in 1994 from Dominican amber found in the Caribbean region . As a fossil species, O. pseudobauri represents an ancient member of a genus that still thrives today, with living relatives known for their incredibly fast mandible strikes used for hunting prey and defense.