Cephalotes olmecus

Introduction

Cephalotes olmecus is an extinct ant species known only from fossil specimens preserved in Mexican amber from the Oligocene-Miocene period, roughly 23–5 million years ago. Workers measured 3.60mm in total length and had the distinctive broad, flattened expansions on the pronotum, mesonotum, propodeum, petiole, postpetiole, and gaster that characterize the genus Cephalotes (often called 'turtle ants'). It belongs to the grandinosus clade and can be identified by a narrow, crenulate crest on the fore femora in workers. The body was light brown with lighter ferruginous, semitransparent expansions. The species was named after the Olmecs, an ancient civilization of Mexico .