Leptanilla bethyloides

Leptanilla bethyloides
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Leptanillinae
Tribe:	Leptanillini
Genus:	Leptanilla
Species:	L. bethyloides
Binomial name
	Leptanilla bethyloides; Griebenow, 2024

Known only from males.

Griebenow (2024), Figure 11. Leptanilla bethyloides, holotype (CASENT0842864), male A profile view B dorsal view C full-face view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A, C); 0.5 mm (B).
Griebenow (2024), Figure 12. Wings of Leptanilla bethyloides (CASENT0842865), male. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Identification

Among the Leptanilla bethyloides species group, of which this is the only described species, L. bethyloides most closely resembles multiple undescribed morphospecies from southern Burma, differing in larger size (WL = 0.532–0.594 mm) and the proportions of the metasomal segments.

The volsellae are known to be wholly lacking in Leptanilla zhg-mm03 (Griebenow et al. in press), which shows very close morphological affinity to L. bethyloides; therefore, I infer the absence of the volsellae in this species. The condition of the volsellae cannot be assessed in any other representatives of the Leptanilla bethyloides species group besides Leptanilla zhg-mm03. Given the relative lack of phylogenetic signal in the worker phenotype of Leptanilla and the scarcity of species in which the worker caste and phylogenetic position are both known, it is difficult to predict the morphology of the unknown worker of L. bethyloides or other members of the Leptanilla bethyloides species group, beyond a probable 1,1 palpal formula. It is conceivable that Leptanilla macauensis represents this worker, although unlikely, given the conformity of L. macauensis to the worker diagnosis for the Leptanilla revelierii species group, where it is placed in this study.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Zhong (2024), Fig 5. Geographical distributions of the Chinese Leptanilla species. Locality information was obtained from the original literature of each species and visualized with SimpleMappr.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 22.4° to 22.4°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: Griebenow, 2024

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: China (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.

Biology

Castes

Known only from males.

Nomenclature

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

bethyloides. Leptanilla bethyloides Griebenow, 2024: 102, figs. 11, 12 (m.) CHINA (Hong Kong).

Type Material

Holotype. China – Hong Kong • 1 male; Tai Po Kau; 22.44°N, 114.18°E (estimated from Google Earth to nearest minute), 15 Jun. 1964; W. J. Voss and W. M. Hui leg.; CASENT0842864. BPBM.
Paratype. China – Hong Kong • 1 male; same locality as for preceding; 2–6 Jul. 1964; L. K. and H. W. Ming leg.; light trap; CASENT0842865. BPBM.

Taxonomic Notes

Describing a new species of Leptanilla based solely upon male specimens, as here done for L. bethyloides, was eloquently argued against by Bolton (1990b), since it exacerbates the probable redundancy that plagues the taxonomy of Leptanilla. This description of L. bethyloides is justified only to give a formal species group name (i.e., the Leptanilla bethyloides species group) to a major clade of Leptanilla known only from male specimens.

Description

References