Dolichoderus punctatus

Introduction

Dolichoderus punctatus is an extinct ant species that lived during the Late Eocene period, approximately 44-49 million years ago. Workers measured approximately 5 mm in total body length. This species has been found preserved in Baltic amber, making it one of the few Dolichoderine ants known from the fossil record of that region. Distinctive features include a strongly convex head with well-expressed occipital angles, a concave occipital margin, and a unique sculpture pattern of large, isolated pits on the head, pronotum, mesonotum, and propodeum . Unlike living ant species that antkeepers can raise, D. punctatus exists only as fossil specimens trapped in amber. This makes it impossible to keep or study in captivity. If you're interested in keeping Dolichoderus ants, consider looking at related living species in the genus that are available in the antkeeping hobby.