Lepisiota opaciventris

Lepisiota opaciventris
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Plagiolepidini
Genus:	Lepisiota
Species:	L. opaciventris
Binomial name
Lepisiota opaciventris (Finzi, 1936) Specimen Labels

In Saudi Arabia this is one of the more common members of Lepisiota. It forms large polygynous colonies. (Collingwood, 1985)

Identification

This species is similar to Lepisiota gracilicornis in the long appendages but differs in sculpture. The propodeum and gaster are faintly sculptured with a dull shine instead of being completely brilliant. (Collingwood, 1985)

This beautiful variety is distinct from all others in having a silky gaster. It belongs to the bipartita group, including Lepisiota sericea from Hindustan. However, the shape of the head approaches that of Lepisiota frauenfeldi aegyptiaca. (Finzi, 1936)

Keys including this Species

• Key to Arabian Lepisiota

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 28.133333° to 13.566667°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.
Palaearctic Region: Egypt (type locality), Israel, Oman.

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.

Biology

Sharaf et al (2018) - Oman: This species was found nesting under a stone and next to a date palm tree where soil was moist. Several workers were found foraging on the ground close to an Acacia tree where the soil was dry.

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Worker. Specimen code casent0906467. Photographer Cerise Chen, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by KSMA; KSU, King Saud University Museum of Arthropods.

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0906466. Photographer Cerise Chen, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by KSMA; KSU, King Saud University Museum of Arthropods.

Male

Images from AntWeb

Male (alate). Specimen code casent0906468. Photographer Cerise Chen, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by KSMA; KSU, King Saud University Museum of Arthropods.

Nomenclature

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

• opaciventris. Acantholepis frauenfeldi var. opaciventris Finzi, 1936: 187, fig. 11 (w.) EGYPT. Combination in Lepisiota: Bolton, 1995b: 228. Raised to species: Collingwood, 1985: 296.

Type Material

• Syntype, 2 workers, Wadi Isla, Sinai, Egypt, 28 February 1935, W. Wittmer, MCZC #28554, Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Description

Length 2.8mm. All black and opaque, except for the polished upper mesonotum; tibia, tarsus, mandibles and antennae yellow.

The gaster silky with bluish reflections. Dorsum of scale sculptured, similar to Lepisiota bipartita; propodeum very weakly spined. Elongated head with the front sides sub-parallel and a little narrower than the pronotum. The few erect hairs are scattered on the head and on the edge of the segments gaster.

References

• Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp. (page 228, Combination in Lepisiota)
• Borowiec, L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
• Borowiec, L., Salata, S. 2020. Review of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Jordan. Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom, Entomology 29 (online 2): 1-26 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.3733156).
• Collingwood, C. A. 1985. Hymenoptera: Fam. Formicidae of Saudi Arabia. Fauna Saudi Arab. 7: 230-302 (page 296, Raised to species)
• Dietrich, C.O. 2004. Taxonomische Beitraege zur Myrmekofauna Jordaniens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Denisia 14: 319-344. (see also)
• Finzi, B. 1936. Risultati scientifici della spedizione di S. A. S. il Principe Alessandro della Torre e Tasso nell'Egitto e peninsola del Sinai. XI. Formiche. Bull. Soc. Entomol. Egypte 20: 155-210 (page 187, fig. 11 worker described)
• Sharaf, M. R., Wetterer, J. K., Mohamed, A. A., Aldawood, A. S. 2022. Faunal composition, diversity, and distribution of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Dhofar Governorate, Oman, with updated list of the Omani species and remarks on zoogeography. European Journal of Taxonomy 838: 1-106 (doi:10.5852/ejt.2022.838.1925).
• Sharaf, M.R., Fisher, B.L., Dhafer, H.M., Polaszek, A., Aldawood, S.A. 2018. Additions to the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Oman: an updated list, new records and a description of two new species. Asian Myrmecology. 9:e010004; 1-38. doi:10.20362/am.010004 10.20362/am.010004.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
• Collingwood C. A., D. Agosti, M. R. Sharaf, A. Van Harten, 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod Fauna of the UAE 4: 405-474
• Collingwood C.A., D.Agosti, M.R. Sharaf, and A. van Harten. 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod fauna of the UAE, 4: 405–474
• Dietrich C. O. 2004. Taxonomische Beiträge zur Myrmekofauna Jordaniens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Denisia 14: 319-344.
• El-Hawagry M. S., M. W. Khalil, M. R. Sharaf, H. H. Fadl, and A. S. Aldawood. 2013. A preliminary study on the insect fauna of Al-Baha Province, Saudi Arabia, with descriptions of two new species. ZooKeys 274: 1–88. doi:10.3897/zookeys.274.4529
• Kugler J. 1988. The zoogeography of Israel. 9. The zoogeography of social insects of Israel and Sinai. Monographiae biologicae 62: 251-275.
• Sharaf M. R., B. L. Fisher, H. M. Al Dhafer, A. Polaszek, and A. S. Aldawood. 2018. Additions to the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Oman: an updated list, new records and a description of two new species. Asian Myrmecology 10: e010004
• Vonshak M., and A. Ionescu-Hirsch. 2009. A checklist of the ants of Israel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Israel Journal of Entomology 39: 33-55.