Lepisiota

Lepisiota
Lepisiota capensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Plagiolepidini
Genus:	Lepisiota Santschi, 1926
Type species
Plagiolepis rothneyi, now Lepisiota rothneyi
Subgenera
Baroniurbania Pagliano & Scaramozzino, 1990 Lepisiota Santschi, 1926
Diversity
139 species (Species Checklist, Species by Country) Lepisiota capensis Specimen Label
Synonyms
Acantholepis Mayr, 1861

Evolutionary Relationships

Formicinae Myrmelachistini   (2 genera) Lasiini   (11 genera) Melophorini   (9 genera) Formicini   (8 genera) Gesomyrmex, Oecophylla Plagiolepidini Anoplolepis   (15 species) Tapinolepis   (18 species) Aphomomyrmex   (1 species) Petalomyrmex   (1 species) Lepisiota   (139 species) Acropyga   (41 species) Agraulomyrmex   (3 species) Gigantiops, Myrmoteras, Santschiella Camponotini   (8 genera)

Based on Ward et al. 2016.

Hita Garcia, Wiesel and Fischer (2013) - The genus Lepisiota is distributed in the Old World and is of moderate size (Bolton, 2012). They nest in rotten wood, in the ground, or in standing trees, and can be considered as generalised foragers (Bolton, 1973a; Brown, 2000). They are especially abundant in less forested habitats, such as grasslands, savannahs or woodlands.

The taxonomy of this genus is in an awful condition. Forel (1892) provided a key to a few then known species but the usefulness of this key is limited since it covers only a minor fraction of the current diversity. Later, Wheeler (1922) and then Emery (1925b) published diagnoses and catalogues of the genus, although none of them attempted a full revision. No further taxonomic works have been published since then and a modern revision of Lepisiota would strongly improve the taxonomic understanding of this group.

Identification

See images of species within this genus

 

Keys to Species in this Genus

• Key to Arabian Lepisiota
• Key to Indian species of Lepisiota

Biology

Association with Other Organisms

Species Uncertain

• An unspecified species within this genus is a host for the eulophid wasp Pediobius marjoriae (a parasite) (Universal Chalcidoidea Database) (primary host).
• Unknown species of Lepisiota are hosts for the diapriid wasps Adelioneiva rudebecki and Ferrieropria sp. in South Africa (www.diapriid.org).
• An unknown species is a host for the eulophid wasp Pediobius marjorae (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (multiple encounter modes; direct transmission; transmission outside nest).

All Associate Records for Genus

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Taxon	Relationship	Associate Type	Associate Taxon	Associate Relationship	Locality	Source	Notes
Lepisiota	host	diapriid wasp	Adelioneiva rudebecki	parasite	South Africa
Lepisiota	host	diapriid wasp	Ferrieropria sp.	parasite	South Africa	www.diapriid.org
Lepisiota	host	eulophid wasp	Pediobius marjorae	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	multiple encounter modes; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Lepisiota	host	eulophid wasp	Pediobius marjoriae	parasite		Universal Chalcidoidea Database	primary host
Lepisiota capensis	host	cricket	Myrmophilellus meneliki	myrmecophile	Ethiopia	Reichensperger, 1913
Lepisiota capensis	host	encyrtid wasp	Anagyrus lopezi	parasite		Universal Chalcidoidea Database	associate
Lepisiota capensis	prey	syrphid fly	Paramixogaster acantholepidis	predator		Quevillon, 2018

Life History Traits

• Mean colony size: >200-300 workers (Greer et al., 2021)
• Compound colony type: not parasitic (Greer et al., 2021)
• Nest site: hypogaeic; arboreal (Greer et al., 2021)
• Diet class: omnivore (Greer et al., 2021)
• Foraging stratum: subterranean/leaf litter; arboreal (Greer et al., 2021)

Morphology

Worker Morphology

• Antennal segment count: 11 • Antennal club: absent • Palp formula: 6,4 • Total dental count: 5-6 • Spur formula: 0,0 • Eyes: >100 ommatidia • Scrobes: absent • Pronotal Spines: absent • Mesonotal Spines: absent • Propodeal Spines: dentiform • Petiolar Spines: absent • Caste: monomorphic, a few species are size-variable to weakly polymorphic • Sting: absent • Metaplural Gland: present • Cocoon: present

Karyotype

Species Uncertain

• Lepisiota sp.1: 2n = 18 (India) (Imai et al., 1984) (near to Lepisiota sericea).
• Lepisiota sp.2: 2n = 18 (India) (Imai et al., 1984) (near to Lepisiota fergusoni).

All Karyotype Records for Genus

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Taxon	Haploid	Diploid	Karyotype	Locality	Source	Notes
Lepisiota		18		India	Imai et al., 1984	near to ''Lepisiota sericea''
Lepisiota		18		India	Imai et al., 1984	near to ''Lepisiota fergusoni''
Lepisiota capensis		18		India	Imai et al., 1984	as ''Acantholepis lunaris''

Nomenclature

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

• LEPISIOTA [Formicinae: Plagiolepidini]
  • Lepisiota Santschi, 1926a: 15 [as subgenus of Acantholepis]. Type-species: Plagiolepis rothneyi, by original designation.
  • Lepisiota is first available replacement name for Acantholepis Mayr, 1861 [junior homonym of Acantholepis Kroyer, 1846: 98 (Pisces)], hence valid name of genus: Bolton, 1995b: 33.
  • Lepisiota senior synonym of Baroniurbania (unnecessary replacement name for Acantholepis): Bolton, 1994: 51.
  • [Lepisiota incorrectly as junior synonym of Acanthomyrmex: Brown, 1973b: 181; Snelling, R.R. 1981: 397. In both publications Acanthomyrmex is an error for Acantholepis.]
  • Subgenera of Lepisiota: nominal plus Baroniurbania: Dietrich, 2004: 324.
• ACANTHOLEPIS [junior homonym, see Lepisiota]
  • Acantholepis Mayr, 1861: 42. Type-species: Hypoclinea frauenfeldi, by monotypy. [Junior homonym of Acantholepis Kroyer, 1846: 98 (Pisces)].
  • Lepisiota Santschi, 1926a: 15 [previously a subgenus of Acantholepis Mayr], first available replacement name for Acantholepis Mayr: Bolton, 1995b: 33.]
• ACHANTILEPIS [unavailable name]
  • Achantilepis Santschi, 1935b: 274, incorrect subsequent spelling of Acantholepis.
• PSEUDACANTHOLEPIS [unavailable name]
  • Pseudacantholepis Bernard, 1953b: 256, attributed to Santschi [as subgenus of Acantholepis]. Unavailable name. Proposed without designation of type-species. Species included by Bernard (1953b) are all referable to Lepisiota: Bolton, 1995b: 44.

References

• Hita Garcia, F.; Wiesel, E.; Fischer, G. 2013. The ants of Kenya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)—faunal overview, first species checklist, bibliography, accounts for all genera, and discussion on taxonomy and zoogeography. Journal of East African Natural History 101:127-222.
• Bolton, B. 1994. Identification guide to the ant genera of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 222 pp. (page 51, Lepisiota first available replacement name for Acantholepis Mayr (junior homonym), hence valid name of genus. Lepisiota senior synonym of Baroniurbania (unnecessary replacement name for Acantholepis).)
• Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp. (page 33, Lepisiota first available replacement name for Acantholepis Mayr, 1861 (junior homonym of Acantholepis Kroyer, 1846:98 (Pisces), hence valid name of genus)
• Bolton, B. 2003. Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 71: 370pp (page 102, Lepisiota in Formicinae, Plagiolepidini)
• Boudinot, B.E., Borowiec, M.L., Prebus, M.M. 2022. Phylogeny, evolution, and classification of the ant genus Lasius, the tribe Lasiini and the subfamily Formicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology 47, 113-151 (doi:10.1111/syen.12522).
• Brown, W. L., Jr. 1973b. A comparison of the Hylean and Congo-West African rain forest ant faunas. Pp. 161-185 in: Meggers, B. J., Ayensu, E. S., Duckworth, W. D. (eds.) Tropical forest ecosystems in Africa and South America: a comparative review. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, viii + 350 pp. (page 181, (Lepisiota incorrectly as junior synonym of Acanthomyrmex, in error))
• Cantone S. 2018. Winged Ants, The queen. Dichotomous key to genera of winged female ants in the World. The Wings of Ants: morphological and systematic relationships (self-published).
• Kreider, J.J., Chen, T.W., Hartke, T.R., Buchori, D., Hidayat, P., Nazarreta, R., Scheu, S., Drescher, J. 2021. Rainforest conversion to monocultures favors generalist ants with large colonies. Ecosphere 12 (doi:10.1002/ecs2.3717).
• Lorite, P., Palomeque, T. 2010. Karyotype evolution in ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a review of the known ant chromosome numbers. Myrmecological News 13: 89-102.
• Santschi, F. 1926a. Trois notes myrmécologiques. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 95: 13-28 (page 15, Lepisiota as subgenus of Acantholepis; first available replacement name for Acantholepis Mayr: Bolton, 1995b: 33.] )
• Snelling, R. R. 1981. Systematics of social Hymenoptera. Pp. 369-453 in: Hermann, H. R. (ed.) Social insects. Volume 2. New York: Academic Press, xiii + 491 pp. (page 397, Lepisiota incorrectly as junior synonym of Acanthomyrmex (in error))