When phylogeny meets geology and chemistry: doubts on the dating of Ethiopian amber. Issue 3 (3rd May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Coty, David; Lebon, Matthieu; Nel, André
• Is Part Of: Annales de la Société entomologique de France. Volume 52:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 161
• Page End: 166
• Publication Date: 2016-05-03
• Subjects: Ethiopian amber -- Insecta -- Formicidae -- Melissotarsus -- Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Insects -- Periodicals; Entomology -- Periodicals; 595.705
• DOI: 10.1080/00379271.2016.1230477
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0037-9271

Abstract

Summary: The first fossil species of a Melissotarsus ant is described ( Melissotarsus ethiopiensis n. sp. ), suggesting that Ethiopian amber could be cenozoic rather than cretaceous. This hypothesis is supported by a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of the amber itself, suggesting a weak maturation of the fossil resin, and a revision of the pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (PY-GC-MS) analysis done by Schmidt and his collaborators in 2010, in an article in which the deposit was described for the first time.