Ants belong to the order of hymenoptera. This is what is known as a "carpenter" ant, family FORMICIDAE, subfamily Formicinae. Carpenter ants belong to the very large genus Camponotus. Carpenter ants are so called because they create very smooth passages in wood when building their nests. Because they built their nests in rotting wood, foraging activities tended to take them to other trees which were actively secreting resin, so they are often found in amber. This species, being found in dominican amber, is probably extinct.
