Gesomyrmex flavescens

Introduction

Gesomyrmex flavescens is an extinct ant species known only from fossil specimens dating to the Middle Eocene period, approximately 44 million years ago. The species was described from a single queen (gyne) fossil found in the Eckfeld maar deposits in Germany . This species belongs to the genus Gesomyrmex, which is entirely known from Eocene fossils and represents an arboreal ant lineage that lived during a warm period in Earth's history . The queen measured approximately 13mm in total body length, with distinctive coloration patterns: the posterior part of the head, mesosoma, petiole, and base of the first gastral segment were yellowish brown, while the anterior part of the head and gaster ranged from black to dark brown . The species is currently considered a species inquirenda (species of uncertain identity) due to the lack of a formal diagnosis and ambiguous diagnostic characters . This ant cannot be kept in captivity as it went extinct approximately 44 million years ago.