Leptogenys donisthorpei

Leptogenys donisthorpei
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ponerinae
Tribe:	Ponerini
Genus:	Leptogenys
Species group:	arcuata
Species:	L. donisthorpei
Binomial name
Leptogenys donisthorpei Mann, 1922 Specimen Label

Lattke (2011) - The specimens from Reserva Sian Ka’an have labels associating them with the bromeliad Aechmea bracteata (Swartz, 1864) Grisebach. They were found nesting in the dry remains of this bromeliad by Dejean (1995, 1997).

Identification

Lattke (2011) - A member of the arcuata species group. Cephalic dorsum mostly punctate, scape with abundant decumbent hairs, hypostomal teeth not visible in full-face view; mesometapleuron and propodeal sides with continuous oblique striae; lateroventral area of node with weak rugulae, not smooth and polished.

Keys including this Species

• Key to New World Leptogenys

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 20° to 15.566667°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Honduras (type locality), Mexico.

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

Expand Explore Overview of Leptogenys biology  The biology of Leptogenys donisthorpei is poorly known. The Leptogenys genus page has more details about the general biology of ants in this genus, some of which is summarized in what follows. New World species have relatively small ranges, generally occur in humid forests and prey on isopods. Colonies may occur in high densities on a local scale, with up to 5 or 6 species present. Nest size tends to be small with just 20 or 30 individuals in a mature colony. Nests of most species may be found in rotten wood on the ground, usually within cavities in logs or large branches, and also beneath bark. Wood-soil and rock-soil interfaces are another common nesting location, as well as rock crevices, and a few species may nest directly in the soil. Reproduction is most commonly via ergatoid females and, in many species, may include egg-laying workers. ‎

Castes

Queen unknown. Male not examined.

Nomenclature

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

• donisthorpei. Leptogenys (Leptogenys) donisthorpei Mann, 1922: 11, fig. 6 (w.) HONDURAS. See also: Lattke, 2011: 149.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Lattke (2011) - The only other arcuata group species which might be sympatric with L. donisthorpei is Leptogenys montuosa. L. donisthorpei has the most robust mandibles of the arcuata group, and the lateroventral node area is not smooth and flattened but has weak rugosities. The hypostomal teeth are not visible in full-face view, and the scape has decumbent hairs. L. montuosa has suberect hairs on the scapes, large hypostomal teeth, and a more prominent median clypeal lobe than L. donisthorpei. The propleuron in L. montuosa is smooth and shining in contrast with the striate propleuron of L. donisthorpei.

Description

Worker

Lattke (2011) - Metrics (n = 6): HL 1.31-1.38; HW 1.18-1.25; ML 0.91-0.98; EL 0.30-0.34; SL 1.35-1.52; PW 0.81-0.91; WL 2.22-2.29; PH 0.78-0.88; PL 0.64-0.67; DPW 0.57-0.64 mm. CI 0.88-0.93; MI 0.75-0.83; OI 0.24-0.27; SI 1.11-1.29; LPI 1.15-1.37; DPI 0.85-1.00.

Head subrectangular in full-face view, slightly wider anterad than posterad, lateral and posterior margins weakly convex, almost straight; diameter of compound eye more than one-fourth of lateral cephalic margin; lateral clypeal margin broadly convex, lateral lobe indistinct; median lobe not longer than greatest scape width, convex, with 3 – 5 setae. Scape surpasses posterior cephalic border by less than one-fourth its length; length of fourth antennal segment more than half length of third segment. Mandible with fine striae on dorsum. PF: 4,4. Cephalic frons to vertex mostly punctate, area between eye and antenna, gena striate; rugulose punctate along internal ocular margin and beyond; head posterad of eye and ventral surface mostly smooth and shining with sparse punctae.

Mesosoma divided by deep metanotal groove in lateral view into promesonotal convexity and metanotal convexity; lateral pronotum with parallel oblique striae and sparse punctae, sculpture weakens close to procoxal insertion; propleuron transversely striae; mesometanotum and lateral propodeal face with continuous parallel oblique striae which become rugulose ventrad. Direction of pronotal striae forms approximate right angle with that of mesometanotum. Pronotum in dorsal view with arching striae along anterior and lateral areas, sculpture weakens posteromedially, becoming smoother. Mesonotum oval in dorsal view, surface undulated and punctate. Propodeal dorsum transversely striate punctae, sculpture shallow compared with propodeal side, declivitous face transversely porcate. Propodeal spiracle oval, facing posterolaterally.

Petiole subquadrate in lateral view, slightly higher posterad than anterad; anterodorsal margin forms continuous convexity, posterior margin mostly straight, weakly sloped; lateral face mostly obliquely striate, ventrad with smooth flattened area. Node subrectangular in dorsal view, wider posterad than anterad, mostly punctate-striate excepting median, longitudinal smooth strip. Anterior and posterior margins broadly convex; lateral margin mostly broadly convex, except for stronger posterior curvature. Gaster smooth and shining, with scattered piligerous punctulae. Procoxa laterally smooth and shining. Mandibles, clypeus, scapes, coxae, trocanters, and femora brown; funiculus, tibiae, tarsi, and gastral apex ferruginous brown; rest of body black, gaster may be dark brown. Antennae with decumbent hairs, no erect pilosity; mesosoma with suberect and subdecumbent hairs.

Type Material

Lattke (2011) - Syntype workers: Honduras, Lombardia, Cecilia, ii. – iii. 1920, Cat. No. 24440 (W.M. Mann) (Museum of Comparative Zoology) [examined].

References

• Lattke, J.E. 2011. Revision of the New World species of the genus Leptogenys Roger (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae). Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny. 69:127-264.
• Mann, W. M. 1922. Ants from Honduras and Guatemala. Proc. U. S. Natl. Mus. 61: 1-54 (page 11, fig. 6 worker described)
• Tozetto, L., Chaul, J.C.M., Boudinot, B.E., Lattke, J.E. 2022. Review of the Leptogenys unistimulosa species group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with the description of a new Amazonian species. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 66(3): e20220045 (doi:10.1590/1806-9665-rbent-2022-0045).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Castano-Meneses, G., M. Vasquez-Bolanos, J. L. Navarrete-Heredia, G. A. Quiroz-Rocha, and I. Alcala-Martinez. 2015. Avances de Formicidae de Mexico. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.
• Durou S., A. Dejean, I. Olmsted, and R. R. Snelling. 2002. Ant diversity in coastal zones of Quintana Roo, Mexico, with special reference to army ants. Sociobiology 40(0): 385-402.
• Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
• Longino J. T. 2013. Ants of Nicargua. Consulted on 18 Jan 2013. https://sites.google.com/site/longinollama/reports/ants-of-nicaragua
• Longino J. et al. ADMAC project. Accessed on March 24th 2017 at https://sites.google.com/site/admacsite/