Scientists have uncovered the oldest-known ant fossil, dating back 113 million years, in Brazil’s Crato Formation. The extinct species, named Vulcanidris cratensis, belonged to the hell ant lineage, known for its scythe-like jaws used to impale prey.
This groundbreaking discovery pushes back the timeline of ant evolution by 10 million years, revealing their early global distribution during the Cretaceous period. Unlike previous hell ant fossils found in Myanmar and France, which were preserved in amber, this specimen was fossilized in limestone, allowing researchers to examine anatomical details not visible in amber specimens.
Using micro-CT scanning, scientists generated high-resolution 3D images, uncovering intricate jaw frameworks similar to modern trap-jaw ants, but with unique adaptations specific to fossil species. The findings suggest that ants were already highly specialized predators millions of years ago, challenging previous assumptions about their evolutionary timeline.
