Lepisiota

Hita Garcia, Wiesel and Fischer (2013) - The genus Lepisiota is distributed in the Old World and is of moderate size (Bolton, 2012). They nest in rotten wood, in the ground, or in standing trees, and can be considered as generalised foragers (Bolton, 1973a; Brown, 2000). They are especially abundant in less forested habitats, such as grasslands, savannahs or woodlands.

The taxonomy of this genus is in an awful condition. Forel (1892) provided a key to a few then known species but the usefulness of this key is limited since it covers only a minor fraction of the current diversity. Later, Wheeler (1922) and then Emery (1925b) published diagnoses and catalogues of the genus, although none of them attempted a full revision. No further taxonomic works have been published since then and a modern revision of Lepisiota would strongly improve the taxonomic understanding of this group.

Nomenclature

 *  LEPISIOTA [Formicinae: Plagiolepidini]
 * Lepisiota Santschi, 1926a: 15 [as subgenus of Acantholepis]. Type-species: Plagiolepis rothneyi, by original designation.
 * Lepisiota is first available replacement name for Acantholepis Mayr, 1861 [junior homonym of Acantholepis Kroyer, 1846: 98 (Pisces)], hence valid name of genus: Bolton, 1995b: 33.
 * Lepisiota senior synonym of Baroniurbania (unnecessary replacement name for Acantholepis): Bolton, 1994: 51.
 * [Lepisiota incorrectly as junior synonym of Acanthomyrmex: Brown, 1973b: 181; Snelling, R.R. 1981: 397. In both publications Acanthomyrmex is an error for Acantholepis.]
 * Subgenera of Lepisiota: nominal plus  Baroniurbania:  Dietrich, 2004: 324.
 * ACANTHOLEPIS [junior homonym, see Lepisiota]
 * Acantholepis Mayr, 1861: 42. Type-species: Hypoclinea frauenfeldi, by monotypy. [Junior homonym of Acantholepis Kroyer, 1846: 98 (Pisces)].
 * Lepisiota Santschi, 1926a: 15 [previously a subgenus of Acantholepis Mayr], first available replacement name for Acantholepis Mayr: Bolton, 1995b: 33.]
 *  ACHANTILEPIS [unavailable name]
 * Achantilepis Santschi, 1935b: 274, incorrect subsequent spelling of Acantholepis.
 *  PSEUDACANTHOLEPIS [unavailable name]
 * Pseudacantholepis Bernard, 1953b: 256, attributed to Santschi [as subgenus of Acantholepis]. Unavailable name. Proposed without designation of type-species. Species included by Bernard (1953b) are all referable to Lepisiota: Bolton, 1995b: 44.