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Ant Found Presents Vertical Mandibles And Unique Adaptations, Revealing That Complex Predatory Strategies Emerged Much Earlier Than Previously Thought
A discovery in the Northeast is rewriting what was known about the evolution of ants. A fossil preserved in limestone and dated at 113 million years has been identified as the oldest ant ever found.
The study reveals new details about the predatory adaptations of these insects during the Cretaceous period.
The Discovery of the Hell Ant
The fossil belongs to the extinct subfamily Haidomyrmecinae, nicknamed the “hell ants” due to their frightening appearance and vertically articulated mandibles. The new species indicates that ants were already quite diverse and had unique predatory behaviors millions of years ago.
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Anderson Lepeco, the study’s author, stated that the team discovered a new fossil species of ant, considered an undisputed geological record of the oldest ever found.
Despite being primitive, the species already exhibited highly specialized anatomical features, suggesting unusual hunting strategies. This find helps to understand how ants managed to spread and diversify during the Cretaceous.
A Rare And Well-Preserved Fossil
Unlike other records from the subfamily Haidomyrmecinae, typically found in amber, this ant was preserved in limestone, more precisely in the Crato Formation, a famous fossil site in Brazil.
Lepeco highlighted that, although hell ants have been described in amber, this was the first time the team managed to identify them in a rock fossil.
The team used micro-computed tomography images to create a 3D reconstruction of the fossil. This technique allowed them to observe impressive anatomical details, such as the mandibles projecting forward and a horn on the head—ideal adaptations for immobilizing prey.
According to the study, features similar to those found in this fossil had already been seen in specimens from Myanmar. This suggests that hell ants were more common during the Cretaceous than previously thought.
Impacts On Paleontology And Biogeography
The discovery of such a specialized hell ant in South America challenges previous theories about the distribution of ants, which considered Eurasia as the initial center of these insects.
This finding indicates that the dispersion of ants between continents occurred much earlier than the separation of Gondwana, altering the viewpoint on the biogeography of these animals.
The study also reinforces the importance of reviewing old collections, whether private or from museums, in search of yet undiscovered fossils.
Lepeco stated that the discovery highlights the relevance of thorough examination of these collections and underscores Brazilian paleontology, as well as the still underexplored fossil insect fauna in the country.
Rapid Evolution And Surprising Adaptations
The way these ancient ants developed predatory adaptations in such a short time impressed researchers.
Lepeco reported that, although the team expected to find characteristics of the hell ant, they were surprised by the particulars of the insect’s feeding apparatus.
He explained that the complex morphology of the new species shows that even the earliest ants already had sophisticated predatory strategies. This strongly contrasts with modern species, whose mandibles move laterally.
The study also highlights the increasing use of modern imaging technologies to reveal details of fossils that previously seemed inaccessible.
The discovery, in addition to enriching knowledge about the evolution of ants, opens doors for new paleontological and technological research in the coming years.
The study was published in Current Biology.
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