Leptogenys lohahela

Leptogenys lohahela is limited to the rainforest of the PN Andohahela in southern Madagascar. It has been collected from leaf litter sampling and pitfall traps. The species forages on the forest floor and nests in rotting tree stumps.

Identification
A member of the saussurei species group. Rakotonirina and Fisher (2014) - Worker. Mandible short and robust, capable of closing tightly against clypeus; anterior clypeal margin medially projecting into triangular lobe; clypeus with sharp edge or lamella. Eye large, diameter markedly greater than maximum width of antennal scape. Dorsum of head and mesosoma noticeably sculptured; with mesosoma in dorsal view, metanotal groove distinctly visible. In dorsal view, posterior margin of petiolar node straight, not medially excised; in profile posterolateral margin of petiolar node with small, sharp tooth.

Leptogenys lohahela can be confused with Leptogenys saussurei and Leptogenys acutirostris with respect to the presence of metanotal groove, but the latter species are larger in size, the posterior margin of the petiolar node, in dorsal view, is medially emarginated for L. sausurei, and the posterolateral margin of petiolar node, in profile, is with a blunt angle, not a small sharp tooth for L. acutirostris.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  lohahela. Leptogenys lohahela Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2014: 121, figs. 1B, 34A, 36A, 139, 146 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
(7 specimens). HW: 1.49–1.73, HL: 2.02–2.29, CI: 72–75, SL: 1.98–2.26, SI: 128–137, PW: 1.30–1.42, WL: 3.07–3.38, PNH: 1.13–1.34, PNL: 0.93–1.19, PNW: 0.92–1.06, DNI: 88–108, LNI: 112–122.

Head more or less rectangular, width not increasing from level of eyes to the front, but slightly decreasing behind level of eye toward posterior border of head. Median lobe of clypeus triangular and prominent, without anterior teeth on each side of median carina; lateral margin not interrupted and sharp. Metanotal groove visible with mesosoma viewed dorsally; in profile, mesopleural sulcus indistinct, but upper portion at level of metathoracic spiracle with wide, shallow impression. In dorsal view, petiolar node longer than broad, posterior margin straight and not medially excised. With head in profile, anterolateral portion from level of eye reticulate-rugose; in full-face view, the dorsum with dense punctures which become shallower and more scattered near posterior cephalic margin. Mandible finely striate, interspersed with piligerous punctures. Dorsum of pronotum distinctly with larger and denser punctures compared to the rest of dorsum of mesosoma. In dorsal view, petiolar node covered with smaller and sparser punctures; in profile, upper half of sides of node densely punctate, superimposed with faint rugulae.

Type Material
Holotype worker: Madagascar, Toliara, PN Andohahela, Col de Sedro, 3.8 km 113° ESE Mahamavo, 37.6 km 341° NNW Tolagnaro, -24.7639, 46.7517, 900 m, montane rainforest, ground forager, 21–25 Jan 2002 (Fisher, Griswold Arthropod Team) collection code: BLF05234, specimen code: CASENT0001203. Paratypes: 2 workers with same data as holotype but with specimen codes: CASENT0001198, CASENT0247210 (CASC, ).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * 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.