Leptogenys volcanica

Leptogenys volcanica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ponerinae
Tribe:	Ponerini
Genus:	Leptogenys
Species group:	elongata
Species:	L. volcanica
Binomial name
	Leptogenys volcanica; Lattke, 2011 Specimen Label

The type series comes from a column of workers that were captured as they worked together to transport an isopod, the crustacean is point-mounted along with an ant on a single pin (Instituto de Zoologia Agricola). Lattke & Longino (2009) call this species JTL-001 (cf. mexicana) in the Ants of Costa Rica website. Longino records a worker taken on a road through a pasture from Puntarenas, 1 km SW Monteverde, at 1350 m. (Lattke 2011)

Identification

Lattke (2011) - A member of the elongata species group. Cephalic dorsum mostly densely punctate; lateral clypeal process forms almost perpendicular angle with base of median process; eye occupies approximately one-third of lateral cephalic margin, situated laterally; metapleural-propodeal suture distinct; anteroventral mesopleural carina well developed, forming cupped rounded lobe anterad.

Keys including this Species

Key to New World Leptogenys

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 10.87° to 3.433333333°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Colombia, Costa Rica (type locality), Panama.

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

Queen, Male. Unknown.

Nomenclature

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

volcanica. Leptogenys volcanica Lattke, 2011: 166, fig. 23 (w.) COSTA RICA.

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

The shallow depression that suggests a separation between the anepisternum and katepisternum is unusual in the genus as the mesopleuron usually appears as a single unit in workers, bearing no trace of this separation. The Panama specimens have the metapleural propodeal sutures more developed and consequently the metapleuron stands out quite distinctly, and the mesopleuron has a more irregular surface with broad swellings and depressions. The Colombian specimens have mostly smooth sculpturing with scattered punctae between and anterad of the eyes, the head has shallower and finer punctae, the mesosomal sides have more punctate areas, and the extremities are lighter colored.

Description

Worker

Metrics, holotype (paratypes, n = 5): HL 1.04 (0.94-1.08); HW 0.71 (0.64-0.74); ML 0.61 (0.51-0.57); EL 0.20 (0.20-0.20); SL 1.21 (1.08-1.25); PW 0.64 (0.54-0.64); WL 1.65 (1.52-1.75); PH 0.67 (0.61-0.67); PL 0.57 (0.57-0.61); DPW 0.44 (0.40-0.47) mm. CI 0.68 (0.66-0.69); MI 0.86 (0.77–0.81); OI 0.29 (0.27-0.32); SI 1.71 (1.64-1.76); LPI 1.18 (0.00-1.18); DPI 0.76 (0.71-0.78).

Head sub-rectangular in full-face view, wider anterad than posterad; lateral cephalic margin broadly convex; posterior cephalic margin convex; median clypeal process triangular, apex bluntly pointed; lateral clypeal process widens mesad, median apex shaped as bluntly angular lobe that forms almost perpendicular angle with base of median process. Eye broadly convex, occupies approximately one-third of lateral cephalic margin, situated more laterad than dorsolaterad, anterad of mid-length of lateral cephalic margin. Cephalic dorsum mostly densely punctate posterad of eyes, striate-punctate to smooth with sparse punctae between eyes, longitudinally striate anterad of eye; clypeus with oblique to longitudinal striae, smoother medially; longitudinal sulcus extends posterad from between frontal carinae to one-half eye height; head posterad of eye punctate, ventral surface finely transversely striate. Scape densely punctulae, with dense decumbent pilosity and scattered subdecumbent hairs, scape extends beyond posterior cephalic margin by over one-third its length; third antennal segment over 3 x longer than apical width, second antennal segment more than half length of third segment; fourth antennal segment half length of third segment, each funicular segment slightly wider apicad than basad. Mandible elongate, external and basal margins subparallel, basal margin straight along basal one-third, convex along apical two-thirds, dorsal surface with fine weak longitudinal strigulae and sparse punctae; chewing border edentate, corner with blunt angle; PF: 4,3.

Mesosoma with metanotal groove separating convex promesonotal margin in lateral view from broadly convex dorsal propodeal margin; pronotal sculpture mostly transversely striate-punctate, posterolaterally mostly smooth with shallow punctae; propleuron mostly smooth with transverse striae anterad. Mesometapleural suture well impressed, scrobiculate; metapleural-propodeal suture distinct, metapleural margin forms narrow ledge; propodeal spiracle elongate, oriented posteriorly; bulla of metathoracic spiracle convex; mesopleuron mostly transversely finely striate posterad, with smaller areas of curved striae or rugulae, shallow broad depression present anterad, just ventrad of mesopleural spiracle; anteroventral mesopleural carina developed, forming cupped rounded lobe anterad; mesosternum transversely striate, striae parallel and more regularly impressed than striae of mesopleuron; lateral propodeal face rugulose to rugulose-punctate, or punctate, dorsum punctate to transversely striate punctate, declivitous face transversely striate, striae becoming progressively coarser posterad; declivitous face relatively flat; low triangular lobe present at spiracle height; mesonotum punctate, broader than long in dorsal view, anterior margin convex; metanotal groove convex, smooth. Propodeal spiracle elongate to slit-shaped.

Petiole sub-quadrate in lateral view, anterior margin convex, dorsal margin mostly straight to weakly convex, posterior margin inclined anterad mostly straight to weakly convex. Subpetiolar process shaped as triangular lobe in lateral view. Node subquadrate in dorsal view, slightly wider posterad than anterad, anterior margin broadly convex; posterior margin shaped as low, blunt triangle; lateral margin broadly concave. Lateral node face with longitudinal to oblique rugulae and scattered coarse punctae, ventrad tending to smooth. Anterior postpetiolar margin weakly convex in lateral view, curving onto dorsal margin; gaster mostly punctulate, constriction between abdominal segments III and IV weak; pygidium with longitudinal median crest; procoxae mostly smooth and shining in lateral view. Body with abundant decumbent pilosity and scattered standing to suberect hairs. Head, mesosoma, node and most of gaster black; antenna, mandibles, clypeus, and legs dark brown, apex of gaster brown to dark brown. Protibial apex without setae; mesotibial apex with single external seta; metatibial apex usually without external seta, occasionally present.

Type Material

Holotype worker. Costa Rica, Guanacaste, Volcán Rincón de la Vieja, Las Pailas, 27 km NE Ciudad Liberia, 700 m, 18.viii.2004, D. Kronauer, E. Rodríguez leg., deposited in Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad. – Paratypes. Five workers from same series as holotype: 2w Instituto de Zoologia Agricola; 1w Museum of Comparative Zoology, 1w The Natural History Museum, 1w Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo.

Etymology

The species name is derived from that of the type locality in Costa Rica, Volcán Rincón de la Vieja.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Lattke J. E. 2011. Revision of the New World species of the genus Leptogenys Roger (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae). Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny 69: 127-264
Longino J. T. 2013. Ants of Nicargua. Consulted on 18 Jan 2013. https://sites.google.com/site/longinollama/reports/ants-of-nicaragua