Myrmica electrina

Introductie

Myrmica electrina is an extinct ant species known only from fossils preserved in Eocene amber, approximately 37.8-33.9 million years old. The species was described in 2023 from specimens found in Rovno amber (Ukraine) and Baltic amber (Poland). Workers measured 5.2-6.2 mm in body length, with coarsely sculptured heads, mesosomas, and waists. The species is distinguished from related fossil Myrmica species by its shorter, more robust mesosoma and shorter, higher petiole. The name 'electrina' comes from the Greek word for amber (ήλεκτρο), referring to its preservation in ancient amber deposits. This species cannot be kept in captivity as it exists only as fossilized specimens in amber.