6 
Psyche 
[Vol. 92 
A 
Fig. 3. Oxyiiiris antiliana. Holotype worker: A, frontal view of head; B, side view 
of body. 
the bulging, more-than-hemispherical eyes, and proportionately 
very large mandibles. Pronotum armed with two well-developed 
spines, a trait shared with members of the Old World P. quadrispina 
group but not with any known living New World Pheidole species. 
(Gr. tethepa, amazed; referring to the eyes). 
Holotype minor worker. Head Width exclusive of eyes 0.76 mm, 
Pronotal Width 0.43 mm. Eyes with approximately 30 ommatidia. 
Head sparsely rugose to rugoreticulate with predominantly longi- 
tudinal orientation. Pronotum with several transverse rugae. Rest of 
dorsal surface of alitrunk evenly shagreened and subopaque. 
Paratvpe minor workers. Two individuals poorly preserved but 
clearly sharing the diagnostic traits of the holotype. 
Holotype and paratypes in a single amber piece from La Toca 
Mine, Dominican Republic. 
Discussion 
Are llemomyrmex and Oxyidris really extinct? If so, they are 
extreme exceptions in the generic ranks of the Dominican amber 
ants. It may be significant that both are small, eyeless, and possess 
narrow, sharp-toothed mandibles. In addition, llemomyrmex is dis- 
tinguished by expanded frontal lobes and scrobes that together can 
mostly cover the antennae. In the living fauna these traits are charac- 
teristic of cryptobiotic, often scarce myrmicine ants that are among 
the last to be collected and recognized. Examples of such living 
genera that have been recently discovered or at least recognized as 
