Oecophylla atavina

Introduction

Oecophylla atavina is an extinct species of weaver ant known from fossil specimens found in the Late Eocene deposits of the Bembridge Marls on the Isle of Wight, Great Britain . These fossils date back approximately 40-50 million years. The species was described by T.D.A. Cockerell in 1915 based on female specimens, with males also identified in the fossil record . Females measured 8-12 mm in body length with forewings of 8.5-13.7 mm, while males were smaller at 5-6.3 mm with forewings of 6-9.5 mm . The species is characterized by its elongated petiole, a trait shared with modern weaver ants, and comprised about 31.6% of ant fossils in the Bembridge deposits . It coexisted with another weaver ant species, Oecophylla megarche, with clear size differences indicating separate ecological niches .