Leptogenys loarelae

Leptogenys loarelae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ponerinae
Tribe:	Ponerini
Genus:	Leptogenys
Species:	L. loarelae
Binomial name
	Leptogenys loarelae; Ramage, 2019

This species, only known from a single worker, was collected on the soil at an elevation of 897 m, which corresponds to a humid forest harbouring plenty of trees of the likewise endemic Austrotaxus spicata Compton (Taxaceae).

Identification

Leptogenys loarelae can be distinguished from other New Caledonia species of Leptogenys by the unique combination of the following features: integument smooth and shining, mostly black colored with blueish reflection; third antennal segment markedly elongate, more than twice the length of pedicel; mandible elongate, triangular; petiole elongate, nearly three times longer than broad in dorsal view.

Keys including this Species

Key to the Leptogenys of New Caledonia

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: New Caledonia (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

Ramage et al. 2019. Figure 6A. Type locality, general view from the trail to Plateau de Dogny (Sarraméa, New Caledonia).

Castes

Nomenclature

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

loarelae. Leptogenys loarelae Ramage, in Ramage et al., 2019: 4, fig. 1 (w.) NEW CALEDONIA.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype TL 11.5; HL 2.06; HW 1.3; SL 2.56; ED 0.5; PW 1.16; MSL 3.65; PL 1.83; PH 0.8; DPW 0.63; CI 62.9; SI 197.4; LPI 43.6; DPI 34.5.

HEAD Elongate, sub-trapezoidal, lateral sides diverging anteriorly; lateral margin barely convex; posterior margin weakly concave medially, posterior lateral corners rounded. Clypeus triangular, with blunt apex and sligthly concave side margins. In full-face view, eye large, oval, maximum diameter greater than twice the maximum width of scape; placed at head midline. Antennae with scape long and slightly enlarged medially, surpassing posterior margin of head by its 2⁄5th; funicular segments elongate; third antennal segment markedly elongate, more than twice the length of the second. Mandible triangular, elongate, shorter than head width; masticatory margin edentate.

MESOSOMA Elongate, compressed laterally, widest at pronotum; mesosomal dorsal surface in profi le slightly convex. In dorsal view, mesonotum as long as broad. Propodeal spiracle slit-like. Petiole elongate, nearly three times as long as broad, trapezoidal, widest at apex; dorsal surface of petiolar node convex, posterior surface slightly concave, anterodorsal and posterodorsal corners angular. Subpetiolar process small, trapezoidal; located beneath anterior 1⁄5 th of the petiole. Gaster elongate.

INTEGUMENT. Smooth and shining, very finely and sparsely punctate; mostly black with blueish reflection, except mandibles, antennal radicel and funicular articles, tarsomeres and hypopygium and pygidium reddish brown. Dorsum of body covered by erect and suberect yellow setae; setae longer on head, scape, pronotum, procoxa and gaster, but shorter on remaining body.

Type Material

Holotype, worker, Grande Terre, Province Sud, Sarraméa, Plateau de Dogny trail, 897m, New Caledonia, 21°37′10.7″S 165°52′31.9″E / 21.619639°S 165.875528°E / -21.619639; 165.875528, 16 Nov. 2011, V. Perrichot, VP209, Musee National d'Histoire Naturelle; mixed mountain forest, hand picking on ground.

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the first name of Thibault Ramage’s daughter, Loarel. The species epithet is to be treated as a noun in the genitive case.

References

Ramage, T., Jouault, C., Schmidt, A.R., Seyfullah, L.J. & Perrichot, V. 2019. Two new ant species (Formicidae: Dorylinae, Ponerinae) from New Caledonia. European Journal of Taxonomy 589: 1–14 (doi:10.5852/ejt.2019.589).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Ramage T., C. Jouault, A. R. Schmidt, L. J. Seyfullah, and V. Perrichot. 2019. Two new ant species (Formicidae: Dorylinae, Ponerinae) from New Caledonia. European Journal of Taxonomy 589: 1-14.