Overview

• The fossil, discovered in Brazil's Crato Formation, extends the ant fossil record by 10 million years, making it the oldest definitive ant specimen.
• Vulcanidris cratensis, a member of the extinct Haidomyrmecinae subfamily, featured forward-projecting, scythe-like jaws and a facial horn for predation.
• Advanced micro-computed tomography imaging unveiled intricate anatomical details, marking the first hell ant visualized in a rock fossil rather than amber.
• The discovery highlights the early global dispersal of ants, with close affinities to species found in Burmese amber, suggesting widespread distribution in the Cretaceous.
• Researchers emphasize the importance of reexamining museum collections, as this specimen was uncovered in a previously overlooked repository.