I have a rounded piece of Burmese amber (15 mm diameter, 5 mm thick) with 2 alate hymenopterans possibly of the same species (Figs. 1, 2, 3). The tips of their abdomens are very close, and I thought of the possibility of intercourse. The specimens are damaged and many important characters are difficult to explore.
The presence of conspicuous petioles and the general aspect of the mesosoma made me think of alate ants, but I can't be sure! Both gasters have a constriction between the 1st and 2nd gastral segments, and specimen B presents a prora or sternal projection in the 1st gastral segment (Fig. 4). These two characters appear in some species of Gerontoformica.
As said before, the tips of both abdomens are very close. Fig. 5 shows in specimen A two fine spines projecting posteriorly from the gaster and presumably touching the gaster of specimen B.
Specimen A is likely a male. No spines appear in specimen B.
The eyes are large and oval, the ocelli are well detected in specimen A. The labial palps are at least 5-segmented, the maxillary palps are at least 3-segmented. The mandibles are narrow, apparently ending in a single apical tooth. The antennae are long, the pedicel being very short, and the rest of funicular segments longer than the scape and of similar length (Figs. 6, 7), reminding the antenna of Baikurus.
Dear colleague,
It is an interesting discussion you are sharing with other RG colleagues. It seems to me be a wasp, but it is so difficult to go in details.
You may also contact Xavier Delclòs from University of Barcelona. Good luck.
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