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Leptanilla acherontia
| Leptanilla acherontia | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Leptanillinae |
| Tribe: | Leptanillini |
| Genus: | Leptanilla |
| Species: | L. acherontia |
| Binomial name | |
| Leptanilla acherontia Griebenow, 2024 | |
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Identification
Leptanilla acherontia most closely resembles Leptanilla revelierii, Leptanilla kubotai and Leptanilla okinawensis, with three mandibular teeth and a linear clypeal margin. Abdominal tergite V is proportionally longer in dorsal view in L. acherontia than L. revelierii, while L. acherontia differs from L. kubotai and L. okinawensis in pedicel shape and larger body size, respectively. Based on consultation of AntWeb images (https://www.antweb.org), Leptanilla UG01, known only from equatorial rainforest in Kibale National Park, Uganda, is almost certainly conspecific with L. acherontia.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
The type locality of L. acherontia is situated in perhumid equatorial rainforest, contrasting with the semi-arid provenance of Leptanilla zhg-ke01 and other Afrotropical and Western Palaearctic Leptanilla. It is unclear to what degree climatic conditions dictate the distributions of Leptanilla species.
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 0.2° to 0.2°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: Griebenow, 2024
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Kenya (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. |
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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
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- acherontia. Leptanilla acherontia Griebenow, 2024: 99, figs. 9, 10 (w.) KENYA.
Type Material
- Holotype. Kenya – Kakamega • 1 worker; Kakamega Forest, Isecheno; 00.24°N, 34.85°E; 6 Nov. 2002; 1550m a.s.l.; W. Okeka leg.; equatorial rainforest, sifted litter in soil under Morus mesozygia; CASENT0842720; UCDC
- Paratype. Kenya – Kakamega • 1 worker; same data as for holotype; CASENT0178284; LACM.
Taxonomic Notes
With Leptanilla boltoni, L. acherontia is one of only two described Afrotropical Leptanilla species for which the worker caste is known. Phylogenomic inference indicates that Leptanilla zhg-ke02 may represent the male of L. acherontia (Griebenow, 2024), but further sampling of sympatric Leptanilla would be required for this association to be decisive.