Leptogenys borivava

All specimens of L. borivava were collected from the spiny forest/thicket habitats on the Mahafaly Plateau and PN Tsimanampetsotsa in southwest Madagascar. They were found foraging on the ground and nest colonies were recorded from rotten logs.

Identification
A member of the arcirostris complex of the truncatirostris species group. Rakotonirina and Fisher (2014) - Worker. Clypeus with median carina; distance between anterior level of torulus and anteromedial clypeal margin less than maximum width of scape, head approximately longer than broad in full-face view; antennal scape relatively short; long, erect and suberect hairs with few pubescence present on dorsum of head, mesosoma and gaster.

Leptogenys borivava can be separated from Leptogenys alatapia by its elongate head (CI: 92–94). It can be distinguished from Leptogenys arcirostris by the relatively long scape (SI: 115–119), the presence of numerous standing long hairs, and sparse pubescence on the dorsum of the body.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  borivava. Leptogenys borivava Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2014: 143, figs. 13A, 15B, 161, 170 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
(6 specimens). HW: 0.97–1.01, HL: 1.05–1.10, CI: 92–94, SL: 1.12–1.18, SI: 115–119, PW: 0.68–0.73, WL: 1.77–1.87, PNH: 0.63–0.65, PNL: 0.53–0.60, PNW: 0.58–0.64, DNI: 104–110, LNI: 109–117.

Head elongate with greatest width at bases of mandible; sides slightly convex and diverging anteriorly along their length; posterior margin fairly straight. Eye large and breaking outline of sides of head. Antennal scape relatively long (SI: 115–119). In full-face view, anterior clypeal margin broadly rounded, bordered with wide and white membrane; medial clypeal lobe narrow, its width measured from anterior level of torulus to anteromedian margin of clypeus roughly the same as the greatest width of scape; medial longitudinal carina present on clypeus. With head in full-face view and mandible in full closure, blades laid over each other, with internal surface of first blade placed against clypeus along its length and most of distal portion of the second against external surface of distal portion of the first. With mesosoma in dorsal view, metanotal groove cross-ribbed, very small segment may be present between groove and propodeum. In lateral view, propodeal lobe absent. Petiolar node slightly inclined anteriorly, with shorter anterior face and much longer posterior face, both faces sloped forward; dorsal surface broadly convex. Mandible sculptures longitudinally striate for basal half and smooth and shining for distal half. Dorsum of head densely and finely punctate, punctures becoming sparser on posterior third of head; rugulation present in front of level of eyes. Dorsum of mesosoma and petiolar node densely and finely reticulate-rugose. Third abdominal tergite finely punctate, fourth with shallow, large punctures anteriorly and smooth posteriorly. Body dorsum covered with long standing hairs and little pubescence. Black to dark brown in color, with brown basal portion of appendages and light brown apices and tip of gaster.

Type Material
Holotype worker: Madagascar, Toliara, PN Tsimanampetsotsa, Mitoho Cave, 6.4 km 77° ENE Efoetse, 17.4 km 170° S Beheloka, -24.0472, 43.7532, 40 m, spiny forest/thicket, 18–22 Mar 2002 (Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team) collection code: BLF06227, specimen code: CASENT0430091. Paratypes: 5 workers, with same data as holotype but with the following specimen codes: CASENT0430092, CASENT0196377, CASENT0247216, CASENT0247217, CASENT0247218 (CASC,, , ).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Blaimer B. B., S. G. Brady, T. R. Schultz, and B. L. Fisher. 2015. Fucntional and phylogenetic approaches reveal the evolution of diversity in a hyper diverse biota. Ecography 38: 001-012.
 * Rakotonirina J. C., and B. L. Fisher. 2014. Revision of the Malagasy ponerine ants of the genus Leptogenys Roger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 3836 (1): 001163.