Leptogenys cuneata

A specimen from Panama was collected from wet forest.

Identification
Key to Leptogenys of the New World

Lattke (2011) - A member of the luederwaldti species group. Head elongate in full-face view; compound eye broadly convex, flattened, diameter covers one-third of lateral cephalic margin; propodeal margin convex, unarmed, without lobe or denticle; petiole elongate and triangular in lateral view, anterodorsal margin straight; protibial apex with translucent lobe next to strigil.

Distribution
Known from Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Peru.

This taxon was described from Ecuador.

Castes
Queens and males are unknown.

Nomenclature

 *  cuneata. Leptogenys cuneata Lattke, 2011: 182, fig. 36 (w.) ECUADOR.

The presence of setae on the tibial apices varies as the Colombian material has a protibial seta, but this is lacking in the type series and Peruvian specimens, and a single internal mesotibial seta is present on the Peruvian specimen. This species shares with Leptogenys gaigei the translucent protibial lobe, but L. gaigei can be separated by the shorter node with a convex anterodorsal margin and the presence of propodeal lobes. Other characters are discussed in the comments for Leptogenys gaigei.

Worker
Metrics, holotype (paratypes, n = 5): HL 1.85 (1.70 – 1.85); HW 1.15 (1.05 – 1.15); ML 0.80 (0.70 –0.80); EL 0.45 (0.40 – 0.45); SL 2.50 (2.10 – 2.45); PW 1.00 (0.90 – 0.95); WL 3.20 (2.90 – 3.25); PH 0.95 (0.80 – 0.90); PL 1.35 (1.15 – 1.30); DPW 0.50 (0.45 – 0.50) mm. CI 0.62 (0.62 – 0.63); MI 0.70 (0.64 – 0.71); OI 0.39 (0.36 – 0.41); SI 2.17 (2.00 – 2.14); LPI 0.70 (0.62 – 0.78); DPI 0.37 (0.38 – 0.40).

Head elongate in full-face view, posterior margin broadly convex, lateral cephalic margins gradually diverging anterad, lateral margin convex posterad, otherwise mostly broadly convex; median clypeal lobe triangular, lateral margins foliaceous, apex with small denticle; anterolateral clypeal lobe inconspicuous; PF: 4,4. Compound eye broadly convex, diameter covers one-third of lateral cephalic margin; mandible semiparallel, dorsal surface with fine parallel striae; cephalic dorsum mostly smooth and shining, with some striae on clypeus. Scape surpasses posterior cephalic border by more than one-third its length; third antennal segment more than 3 x longer than second segment; fourth antennal segment more than half length of third.

Mesosoma with promesonotum forming single convexity in lateral view, metanotal groove broadly impressed, dorsal propodeal margin broadly convex, more than twice length of declivitous margin; propodeal margin convex, unarmed, without lobe or denticle. Mesosoma mostly smooth and shining, propodeal declivity with coarse transverse striae, fine transverse striae of mesosternum extend briefly laterad in triangular shaped area between posterolateral pronotum and anteroventral mesopleuron; mesometapleural suture well impressed, scrobiculate; mesonotum slightly longer than wide. Petiole elongate and triangular in lateral view, anterodorsal margin straight, posterior margin slightly inclined, weakly convex; node wedge shaped in dorsal view, lateral margin concave. Subpetiolar process subrectangular, posterior margin longer than anterior margin.

Anterior margin of third abdominal segment evenly convex; constriction between abdominal segments III and IV weak. Coxae and rest of legs mostly smooth and shining, tibiae and femora densely punctulate; protibial apex with translucent lobe next to strigil, usually lacking apical seta, occasionally single seta present just anterad of strigil; mesotibial apex with single seta on external side, 1 – 2 setae present internally; metatibial apex with single internal seta. Mesosoma with sparse subdecumbent pilosity; cephalic dorsum with several suberect to erect hairs; scape with abundant pilosity, no hairs. Mandible, antenna, legs, and gastral apex brown; rest of body black with blue iridescence; coxae sometimes also black.

Type Material
Holotype worker. Ecuador, Morona, Santiago Los Tayos, 3.viii.1978, Tjitte de Vries. Deposited in. Paratypes. Sixteen workers from the same nest as the holotype deposited in MZSP.

Etymology
The species name alludes to the wedge shaped petiolar node. It is derived from the Latin for wedge, cuneus.