Tetraponera europaea

Introduction

Tetraponera europaea is an extinct ant species that lived during the Late Eocene period, approximately 44-49 million years ago. It was described from fossil specimens preserved in amber, specifically from the Rovno amber of Ukraine and also known from Bitterfeld amber (Germany) and Baltic amber . This species belongs to the subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae, a group of slender, long-legged ants that still have living species in tropical regions today. Workers measured approximately 4.6mm in body length, while queens (gynes) were larger at around 7.5mm . The genus Tetraponera contains numerous living species, primarily in tropical regions of the Old World, so while this specific species is extinct, its closest relatives still exist.