Table 1.

Mean annual temperature (MAT) estimates for formiciine-bearing fossil localities (Messel, Puryear, Bournemouth) and localities regional to the Farson Fish beds, Wyoming (Little Mountain, Niland Tongue). MAT estimates for Messel were previously published as points on a figure [56], and these values are now stated here, as well as newly published estimates based on both leaf margin analysis (LMA) and the coexistence interval of nearest living relatives of plant fossils [66] (Wilde et al. [67] inferred a similar climate for Eckfeld and Messel). A MAT estimate for the Farson Fish Beds has not been reported; values are given for the slightly older Green River Formation Laney Member Little Mountain locality, the regional Wasatch Formation Niland Tongue locality and an unspecified Green River Basin [68]. Values for all sites include both leaf margin analysis and either taxon analogue [66] or isotopic methods [68], except for Bournemouth, which is from isotopic analysis of fossil gastropod shells [24]. An isotopic estimate from the San Juan Basin (SJB) [68] is supplied alongside the LMA-based estimate for Puryear, being of the same palaeolatitude and age [68]. The standard error for LMA values is set at 4.0°C unless the calculated error is greater than 4.0°C, following the recommendation of Peppe et al. [69]; for SJB isotope value, it is 5.5°C [68]; error not provided for Bournemouth isotope value [24].

locality	no. of leaf morphotypes	pmargin(%)	MAT
with Formiciinae
Messel	49	65.0	20.3°Ca, 21.1°Cb, 22°C (up to ∼24°C) [66]
Puryear	47	91.5	23.9°C [23], 27.7°Ca, 29.0°Cb, (27.8°C SJB [68])
Bournemouth	n.a.	n.a.	22°C [24]
Green River Formation
Little Mountain	49	60.2	19.6°C [22], 18.8°Cc, 18.3°C [68]
Niland Tongue	14	71.4	23.0°C [22], 22.0°Cc

^aNew estimates using eqn from Miller et al. [25] and data from Greenwood & Wing [23].

^bNew estimates using data and LMA eqn (2) from Greenwood & Wing [23].

^cNew estimates using eqn from Miller et al. [25] and data from Wilf [22].