Anochetus exstinctus

Introduction

Anochetus exstinctus is an extinct species of trap-jaw ant known only from a single fossilized worker preserved in Dominican Amber. This specimen dates back to the Miocene epoch, approximately 17 million years ago . The species was described by De Andrade in 1994 based on this unique amber inclusion, and it remains the only evidence that this species ever existed . This species belongs to the emarginatus species group within the trap-jaw ant lineage, a group known for their distinctive spring-loaded mandibles used for hunting prey . While living Anochetus species are found across the tropics today, this particular species existed millions of years ago in what is now the Dominican Republic, leaving behind only this amber-preserved specimen for scientists to study .