JOURNAL ARTICLE

Oldest ant fossil ever found reveals history of 'hell ants'.

  • Published In: Sciencemag.org, 2025. P. N.PAG 1 of 3

  • Database: Applied Science & Technology Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Robles-Gil, Alexa 3 of 3

Abstract

The article discusses the discovery of the oldest ant fossil ever found, dating back 113 million years, in northeastern Brazil. The fossil belongs to an extinct group of ants known as "hell ants" and provides insights into the evolution of ants, particularly in South America. The find suggests that hell ants may have been the oldest major group of ants to spread across the globe and diversify, with South America potentially being their evolutionary epicenter. The discovery sheds light on the early diversification of ants and their unique hunting techniques, raising questions about why hell ants went extinct while other lineages persisted. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Sciencemag.org. 2025/04, pN.PAG
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
  • Publication Date:2025
  • Accession Number:184784375
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