Leptanilla yunnanensis

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Leptanilla yunnanensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Leptanillinae
Tribe: Leptanillini
Genus: Leptanilla
Species: L. yunnanensis
Binomial name
Leptanilla yunnanensis
Xu, Z., 2002

Leptanilla yunnanensis casent0235340 p 1 high.jpg

Leptanilla yunnanensis casent0235340 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

The type material was collected from a colony constructing a nest in soil in a deciduous broad-leaf forest. A queen and 25 workers were found.

Identification

Xu (2002) - This new species is close to Leptanilla thai, but in dorsal view lateral sides of pronotum roundly convex, both petiolar node and postpetiolar node are tranverse and broader than long; in profile view petiolar node roughly rectangular, sternite of petiole bluntly angled in ventral direction.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 22.185° to 22.185°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: China (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

  • Qian et al. (2024), Fig. 25: Leptanilla yunnanensis holotype worker. (A, D) head in full-face view; (B, E) body in lateral view; (C, F) body in dorsal view. (A - C) illustrations redrawn from Xu (2002a); (D - F) images, photos by Zheng-Hui Xu.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • yunnanensis. Leptanilla yunnanensis Xu, 2002a: 116, figs. 10-15 (w.q.) CHINA. See also: Xu & Zhang, 2002: 142.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Borowiec et al. (2011) - In the catalogue of Bolton et al. (2007) the names Leptanilla yunnanensis, Protanilla bicolor and Protanilla concolor are attributed to Xu & Zhang, 2002, who provided a key to differentiate the leptanilline species found in China, and not to Xu, 2002, who formally described the three species. This stems from the publication dates available for the two papers, with the Xu & Zhang paper predating the formal descriptions, according to imprint. However, the latest edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (1999) provides regulations (Articles 16.1, 16.4) that do not allow considering the Xu & Zhang treatment as a publication of valid new names. According to article 16.4, each name published after 1999 must be accompanied by explicit type designation along with information on the place of deposition. Additionally, article 16.1 states that each new name published after 1999 must be explicitly indicated as intentionally new. The Xu & Zhang paper of 2002 does not meet the above mentioned requirements, and therefore the correct authorship of Leptanilla yunnanensis, Protanilla bicolor and P. concolor is Xu, 2002.

Description

Worker

Xu 2012 Furcotanilla Fig 1-4.jpg

Holotype. TL 1.44, HL 0.30, HW 0.24, CI 80, SL 0.14, SI 58, PW 0.16, AL 0.36, PNL 0.08, PNW 0.11, PNH 0.12, PPNL 0.08, PPNW 0.13, PPNH 0.14.

Head longer than broad, roughly rectangular, narrowed forward. In full-face view occipital margin shallowly emarginate, occipital corners roundly prominent. Lateral sides weakly convex, anterolateral corners rounded. Anterior margin of clypeus weakly convex and complete. Anterior portion of head convex between antennal sockets. Mandible with 3 teeth, the large apical tooth followed by 2 small teeth. Antenna 12-segmented, apex of scape reached to 1/2 of the distance from antennal socket to occipital corner, segments 3-11 broader than long. In profile view dorsum of alitrunk relatively straight, promesonotal suture distinct, metanotal groove absent. In profile view petiolar node roughly rectangular, anterodorsal and posterodorsal corners blunt and distinct, dorsum slightly convex. Sternite of petiole roughly triangular, bluntly angled in ventral direction. Postpetiolar node also rectangular and similar to petiolar node in profile view, sternite of postpetiole large and anteroventrally pointed, rounded at apex. In dorsal view petiolar node roughly rectangular and broader than long, postpetiolar node broader than long and narrowed forward. Head, alitrunk, petiole, postpetiole and gaster smooth and shining. Head and body with sparse subdecumbent hairs and dense decumbent pubescence. Appendages with dense decumbent pubescence. Body in color orange yellow.

Paratypes. TL 1.2-1.4, HL 0.28-0.30, HW 0.23-0.24, CI 79-86, SL 0.13-0.14, SI 57-58, PW 0.16, AL 0.34- 0.36, PNL 0.07-0.08, PNW 0.11, PNH 0.11- 0.13, PPNL 0.07-0.08, PPNW 0.12-0.13, PPNH 0.14-0.15 ( n = 5). As holotype.

Queen

Paratype. TL 2.3, HL 0.36, HW 0.31, CI 89, SL 0.14, SI 45, PW 0.23, AL 0.58, PNL 0.14, PNW 0. 22, PNH 0.15 (n = 1).

Similar to holotype worker, but body much larger. Occipital margin distinctly emarginate, anterior margin of clypeus straight. Three mandiblular teeth located on the apical half of the masticatory margin. Pedicel with only 1 segment, petiolar node much broader than long in dorsal view. Gaster very large, unsegmented cerci present. Head and body with abundant subdecumbent hairs.

Type Material

Holotype: worker, No. A97-2306, 1600 m, Papo Village, Meng’a Town, Menghai County, Yunnan Province, from a colony constructing nest in soil in deciduous broad-leaf forest, 1997.IX.9 (Xu Zhenghui). Paratypes: 13 workers and 1 female, from the same colony as the holotype and with the same data.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
  • Xu Z. H. 2002. A systematic study on the ant subfamily Leptanillinae of China (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Acta Entomologica Sinica 45: 115-120.
  • Xu Z. 2002. A systematic study on the ant subfamily Leptanillinae of China (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Acta Entomologica Sinica 45(1): 115-120.