Manica andrannae

Introduzione

Manica andrannae is an extinct ant species preserved in Late Eocene Baltic amber, approximately 37.8-33.9 million years old. Only fossilized workers are known from this species, making it the first fossil record of the genus Manica ever discovered . The worker measures 5.96mm in total length and closely resembles extant (living) Manica species, with a 5-segmented antennal club, a distinct metanotal groove, and characteristic mandibles with two large teeth followed by 14 smaller denticles . The species was described in 2022 from specimens found in the Kaliningrad Region of Russia along the Baltic Sea coast . This species cannot be kept in captivity - it is known only from fossilized amber and has been extinct for millions of years. However, understanding this fossil species helps us learn about the evolutionary history of the ant tribe Myrmicini, which includes related genera like Myrmica that many antkeepers successfully keep today .