Leucotaphus gurnetensis

Introduction

Leucotaphus gurnetensis is an extinct ant species known only from fossil specimens dating to approximately 33.9 million years ago during the Late Eocene to Early Oligocene period. Originally described from the Bouldnor Formation on the Isle of Wight, UK, this species was remarkably abundant in its ecosystem, comprising roughly 25% of all ant specimens found in this deposit after accounting for preservation bias . The species belongs to the subfamily Formicinae and shows strong morphological similarity to modern Lasius ants, leading some researchers to propose it may actually belong in that genus rather than Leucotaphus . Males measured 2.2-3.8mm in body length, while females (queens) were larger at 5.0-6.5mm . This species represents an important window into European ant diversity during the Eocene-Oligocene transition, a period of significant climatic change.