Using micro-computed tomography, researchers identified the fossil as a hell ant, revealing its distinct headgear and specialized scythe-like jaws used for predation.

The research, published in Current Biology under the title 'A hell ant from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil,' marks a significant step in the study of ant evolution.

Phil Barden, an evolutionary insect expert, described the find as a significant extension of the ant fossil record by approximately ten million years.

Lepeco emphasized the importance of examining existing fossil collections, highlighting Brazil's underexplored fossil insect fauna and its contributions to understanding insect evolution.

With an estimated global population of around 20 quadrillion, ants play crucial ecological roles as predators, herbivores, and decomposers, showcasing their evolutionary success.

Modern ants, having evolved from a lineage related to wasps during the Cretaceous period, are now one of the most dominant animal groups on Earth.

Vulcanidris cratensis had specialized jaws for capturing prey and was capable of flight, possessing wings and a stinger similar to that of a wasp.

A newly discovered fossilized 'hell ant' from northeastern Brazil, named Vulcanidris cratensis, may be the oldest ant ever found, dating back approximately 113 million years to the Cretaceous period.

The fossil was unearthed by researcher Anderson Lepeco in September 2024 at the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo, where it was part of an existing collection.

This discovery supports genomic studies suggesting that ants first evolved in the southern hemisphere, particularly on the supercontinent Gondwana, before spreading globally.

The fossil exhibits wasp-like characteristics, including wings with more veins than those found in modern ants, indicating a common ancestry between ants and wasps.

The ant coexisted with a diverse array of species, including spiders, crustaceans, pterosaurs, and dinosaurs like Ubirajara, indicating a rich prehistoric ecosystem.