Lepisiota capensis laevis

Lepisiota capensis laevis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Plagiolepidini
Genus:	Lepisiota
Species:	L. capensis
Subspecies:	L. capensis laevis
Trinomial name
Lepisiota capensis laevis (Santschi, 1913)

In Benin, Taylor et al. (2018) found this species in mango (Mangifera indica) orchards, and foraging on Anacardium occidentale, Isoberlinia doka, Terminalia laxiflora and weeds. It is ground nesting.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 22.916667° to -34.326°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Benin, Gambia, Senegal (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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.

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.

Nomenclature

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

• laevis. Acantholepis laevis Santschi, 1913c: 312, fig. 5 (w.) SENEGAL. Combination in Lepisiota: Bolton, 1995b: 227. Subspecies of simplex: Santschi, 1914d: 378. Status as species: Santschi, 1935a: 278. Currently subspecies of capensis: Arnold, 1920a: 573; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 937; Bernard & Cagniant, 1963: 163.

Taxonomic Notes

Taylor et al. (2018) treat this taxon as a full species but provide no justification for the change. Subsequent authors have not followed this treatment.

References

• Arnold, G. 1920a. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part IV. Myrmicinae. Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 14: 403-578 (page 573, Subspecies of capensis)
• Bernard, F.; Cagniant, H. 1963 [1962]. Capture au Hoggar de trois Acantholepis nouveaux pour ce massif avec observations sur leurs modes de vie (Hym. Formicidae). Bull. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 67: 161-164 (page 163, Subspecies of capensis)
• Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp. (page 227, Combination in Lepisiota)
• Santschi, F. 1913c. Glanures de fourmis africaines. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 57: 302-314 (page 312, fig. 5 worker described)
• Santschi, F. 1914d. Formicides de l'Afrique occidentale et australe du voyage de Mr. le Professeur F. Silvestri. Boll. Lab. Zool. Gen. Agrar. R. Sc. Super. Agric. 8: 309-385 (page 378, Stirps of simplex)
• Santschi, F. 1935a. Fourmis du Musée du Congo Belge. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. 27: 254-285 (page 278, Status as species)
• Taylor, B., Agoinon, N., Sinzogan, A., Adandonon, A., Kouaguou, Y. N., Bello, S., Wargui, R., Anato, F., Ouagoussounon, I., Houngbo, H., Tchibozo, S., Todjihounde, R., Vayssieres, J.F. 2018. Records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Republic of Benin, with particular reference to the mango farm ecosystem. Journal of Insect Biodiversity 8(1): 6-29 (doi:10.12976/jib/2018.08.1.2).
• Wheeler, W. M. 1922j. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 45: 711-1004 (page 937, Subspecies of capensis)