Lepisiota validiuscula
Lepisiota validiuscula | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Formicinae |
Tribe: | Plagiolepidini |
Genus: | Lepisiota |
Species: | L. validiuscula |
Binomial name | |
Lepisiota validiuscula (Emery, 1897) |
This seems to be a very abundant species in western Yemen. It is recorded from East and South Africa but has not yet been found in Arabia outside Yemen. (Collingwood and Agosti 1996)
Seemingly uncommon but widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. Recorded and illustrated from Nigeria by Taylor (1978, as Acantholepis species T¹), who found it occasionally on cocoa, probably nesting in the soil and building tents of vegetable matter around Pseudococcids. (Taylor et al., 2018)
Identification
Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - HW 0.59-0.63; SI 125-135. easily distinguished from Lepisiota canescens by the stout black dorsal hairs.
Taylor et al. (2018) note that this species is somewhat stockier than the Lepisiota capensis type; propodeal prominences more pronounced; scape surpasses occiput by ca 1/2 its own length; longer coarser and more abundant erect pilosity; dark brown, appendages brown, scape ochreous-yellow.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 15.6625° to -34.18333°.
North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Benin, Namibia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (type locality), Zimbabwe.
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
Castes
Images from AntWeb
Syntype of Acantholepis capensis validiuscula. Worker. Specimen code casent0905155. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- validiuscula. Acantholepis capensis var. validiuscula Emery, 1897e: 602 (w.) SOMALIA. Arnold, 1920a: 570 (q.m.). Combination in Lepisiota: Bolton, 1995b: 229. Raised to species: Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 369.
Description
References
- Arnold, G. 1920a. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part IV. Myrmicinae. Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 14: 403-578 (page 570, queen, male described)
- Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp. (page 229, 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.
- Collingwood, C. A. and D. Agosti. 1996. Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of Saudi Arabia (part 2). Fauna Saudi Arabia. 15:300-385. (page 369, Raised to species)
- Emery, C. 1897f. Formiche raccolte da Don Eugenio dei Principi Ruspoli, durante l'ultimo suo viaggio nelle regioni dei Somali e dei Galla. Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. 38[=(2(18): 595-605 (page 602, worker described)
- Taylor B. 1978. Ants of the Nigerian Forest Zone (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). II. Formicinae, Dolichoderinae. Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria Research Bulletin 5: 1–57.
- 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).
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Arnold G. 1920. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part IV. Myrmicinae. Annals of the South African Museum. 14: 403-578.
- IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
- Prins A. J. 1963. A list of the ants collected in the Kruger National Park with notes on their distribution. Koedoe 6: 91-108.
- Prins A. J. 1964. Revised list of the ants collected in the Kruger National Park. Koedoe 7: 77-93.
- Santschi F. 1937. Résultats de la Mission scientifique suisse en Angola (2me voyage) 1932-1933. Fourmis angolaises. Revue Suisse de Zoologie. 44: 211-250.
- Stitz H. 1923. Hymenoptera, VII. Formicidae. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Land- und Süsswasserfauna Deutsch-Südwestafrikas 2: 143-167.
- 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).
- Weber N. A. 1943. The ants of the Imatong Mountains, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 93: 263-389.
- Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. II. The ants collected by the American Museum Congo Expedition. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 39-269.
- Wheeler W. M. 1922. 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. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004