Eoformica brevipetiola

Introduction

Eoformica brevipetiola is an extinct ant species known only from two male fossils found in the Middle Eocene Kishenehn Formation in Montana, USA, dating back approximately 44-49 million years . These compression fossils represent the only known specimens of this species. The most distinctive feature is the unusually short petiole (the waist segment connecting thorax and abdomen), which gives the species its name 'brevipetiola' meaning 'short petiole' in Latin. The males had a robust, globular mesosoma and long, slender, toothless mandibles. The antennae possessed 10 funicular segments - the first time this could be counted for any Eoformica species. Size data unavailable - only partial body measurements exist for this species.