Leptogenys phylloba

Identification
Key to Leptogenys of the New World

Lattke (2011) - A member of the famelica species group. Head elongate in full-face view; median clypeal process triangular, mostly laminate; eye greatly convex; mandible subtriangular, masticatory margin concave, mostly crenulate, occasionally with denticle or two; body mostly smooth and shining with sparse piligerous punctae; propodeal spiracle not elevated, oval, oriented laterally; petiole elongate, subtriangular in lateral view.

This is the second largest species in the group, and it could overlap in size with small specimens of Leptogenys famelica, but L. phylloba does not have the slender, triangular node of L. famelica, which is cuneiform in dorsal view. This species is sympatric with Leptogenys pinna but differs from it on account of its larger size, clypeal sculpture, and orientation of the propodeal spiracle opening, which is slightly posterior in L. pinna.

Distribution
This taxon is known from southeastern Colombia – eastern Ecuador.

Castes
Queen, Male. Unknown.

Nomenclature

 *  phylloba. Leptogenys phylloba Lattke, 2011: 169, fig. 25 (w.) COLOMBIA.

Worker
Metrics, holotype (paratypes, n = 2): HL 1.69 (1.69-1.69); HW 1.08 (1.15-1.15); ML 0.94 (0.91-0.98); EL 0.40 (0.37-0.40); SL 2.36 (2.36-2.39); PW 1.01 (1.04-1.08); WL 3.24 (3.10-3.24); PH 1.18 (1.15-1.15); PL 1.18 (1.18-1.25); DPW 0.81 (0.78-0.84) mm. CI 0.64 (0.68-0.68); MI 0.88 (0.79-0.85); OI 0.38 (0.32-0.35); SI 2.19 (2.06-2.09); LPI 1.00 (0.92-0.97); DPI 0.69 (0.66-0.68).

Head elongate in full-face view, wider anterad than posterad; lateral cephalic margin weakly convex; posterior cephalic margin convex; median clypeal process triangular, mostly laminate, apex pointed; lateral clypeal process narrow, joining smoothly with base of median process. Eye greatly convex, occupies approximately one-third of lateral cephalic margin, situated dorsolaterally and anterad of mid-length of lateral cephalic margin. Cephalic dorsum mostly smooth and shining with abundant punctulae, and scattered piligerous punctae; clypeus mostly smooth with oblique to longitudinal striae laterad, narrow smooth strip present along anterolateral margin posterad of mandibular insertion extending mesad, disappearing behind median clypeal lobe; longitudinal sulcus extends posterad from between frontal carina to one-half eye height; clypeus and frontal carina protrude dorsally in lateral cephalic view, clypeal margin divided by blunt angle into anterior third part and long, sloping posterior two-thirds part that peaks at antennal insertion; head ventral surface smooth and shining with scattered punctae. Scape densely punctulae with abundant pilosity and scattered subdecumbent to suberect hairs, scape extends beyond posterior cephalic margin by almost half its length; third antennal segment over 4 x longer than apical width, second antennal segment half length of third segment; fourth antennal segment over half length of third segment, funicular segments subcylindrical. Mandible elongate, triangular, masticatory margin concave, mostly crenulate, occasionally with denticle or two, length of masticatory margin almost same as basal margin; dorsal mandibular surface smooth with scattered punctae.

Mesosoma with deep metanotal groove separating convex promesonotal margin in lateral view from broadly convex dorsal propodeal margin; mesosomal sculpture mostly smooth and shining with scattered piligerous punctae. Mesometapleural suture scrobiculate well impressed along mesopleuron; metapleural-propodeal suture lacking; propodeal spiracle not elevated, oval, oriented laterally; bulla of metathoracic spiracle convex; mesopleuron smooth with weak fine transverse striae in some areas, some striae present posteroventrad, anteroventral carina well developed, forming angular lobe anterad; mesosternum with transverse striae anterad; metapleuron with transverse striae posteroventrad; declivitous propodeal face with transverse striae posterad; propodeum rounded, without lateral lobe or tooth; mesonotum broader than long in dorsal view, anterior margin convex; metanotal groove straight, scrobiculate.

Petiole elongate, subtriangular in lateral view, anterior margin brief and convex; anterodorsal margin convex, longer than posterior margin; node highest posterad; posterior margin inclined anterad mostly straight to weakly convex. Subpetiolar process angular anterad, lobe-like posterad in lateral view. Node longer than wide in dorsal view, anterior margin convex; lateral margin broadly convex, posterior margin straight. Node smooth and shining, posterior face not sharply separated from lateral face. Anterodorsal postpetiolar margin convex in lateral view; gaster with scattered punctulae, constriction between abdominal segments III and IV weak; procoxae smooth and shining in lateral view. Mesosoma with no pilosity, only scattered standing to suberect hairs; decumbent to appressed pilosity present on cephalic dorsum, anterior coxal faces, meso- and metafemora, tibiae, and tarsi. Head, mesosoma, node and most of gaster black; antenna, mandibles, clypeus, legs, and apex of gaster brown. Apex of pro- and metatibia without setae; mesotibial apex with single external seta.

Type Material
Holotype worker. Colombia, Caquetá, Puerto Solano, P.N.N. La Serranía de Chiribiquete, Río Cuñaré – [Río] Amu, 0°12′48′′N 72°25′25′′W, 250 m, 1. – 3.iii.2001, M. Ospina, E. González, deposited in (No.35089). – Paratypes. (1) Colombia, Caquetá, Puerto Solano, P.N.N. La Serranía de Chiribiquete, Río Cuñaré – [Río] Amu, 0°12′35′′N 72°24′55′′W, 250 m, 15. – 17.ii.2001, M. Ospina, E. González, 1w deposited in IAVH (No. 35078). (2) Colombia, Amazonas, Río Ayo, 1°35′11′′S 69° 31′39′′W, vi.2002, F. Quevedo, 1w deposited in IAVH.

Etymology
The species name alludes to the lamellate, leaf-like median clypeal lobe. It is derived from the Greek for leaf, phyllon.