Ancient predator found in limestone, not amber

In a remarkable discovery that sheds new light on insect evolution, scientists have identified the fossil of a 113-million-year-old “hell ant,” now recognized as the oldest ant specimen ever found. According to a new study published Thursday in Current Biology, the fossil was unearthed not in the ground but within a collection at the Museum of Zoology at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, CNN reported.

Preserved in limestone, the ancient creature belongs to an extinct subfamily known as Haidomyrmecinae. Unlike any ant species alive today, hell ants had a brutal hunting strategy, using their scythe-like jaws to pin or impale prey. The newly discovered species has been named Vulcanidris cratensis.

A surprising find from Brazil’s Crato Formation

Anderson Lepeco, a researcher at the São Paulo museum and the study’s lead author, first encountered the extraordinary fossil in September last year while examining one of the world’s largest collections of fossilised insects. The fossils are primarily from the Crato Formation, a renowned Early Cretaceous geological site in northeastern Brazil.

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Lepeco recounted being “shocked” when he noticed the “weird projection” on the hell ant’s head, a feature unlike anything previously seen. “Other hell ants have been described with odd mandibles, but always as amber specimens,” he said, referencing earlier discoveries from France and Myanmar that date back about 99 million years.

The Brazilian fossil’s preservation in limestone rather than amber marks a first for hell ant specimens and suggests that these fearsome predators were more widespread across ancient Earth than previously understood.

Extending the evolutionary history of ants

The discovery not only provides a stunning glimpse into prehistoric ecosystems but also extends the known timeline of ant evolution by nearly ten million years. Phil Barden, an associate professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, called the find a “pretty big deal,” noting that it significantly shifts the fossil record for ants further into the past.

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According to the study, ants first evolved during the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous periods, around 145 million years ago. However, it wasn’t until after the mass extinction event 66 million years ago, triggered by an asteroid impact, that ants diversified and became among the most dominant insects on Earth.

Micro-computed tomography imaging of Vulcanidris cratensis revealed striking similarities to the hell ants previously identified from Burmese amber, but also distinct wasp-like characteristics that suggest unique evolutionary pathways.

The researchers emphasise that this discovery highlights not just the longevity of ants, but their early and rapid diversification. As Lepeco and his team continue to explore Brazil’s ancient limestone formations, they hope further finds will deepen our understanding of how some of Earth’s smallest creatures survived and thrived across millions of years.

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