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.

Identification
Antennae 11-segments, without antennal club; palp formula 6,4; mandibles subtriangular, masticatory margin with 5–6 teeth; eyes with over 100 ommatidia; antennal scrobes absent; pronotal spines absent; mesothorax reduced and slender; metathoracic spiracles in profile raised; propodeal spines dentiform (absent in some species); petiolar spines present or absent; worker monomorphic, a few species are size-variable to weakly polymorphic.

Species by Region
Number of species within biogeographic regions, along with the total number of species for each region.

Species Uncertain

 * Unknown species are associated with the aphids, , and  (Saddiqui et al., 2019 and included references).
 * An unspecified species within this genus is a host for the eulophid wasp (a parasite) (Universal Chalcidoidea Database) (primary host).
 * Unknown species of Lepisiota are hosts for the diapriid wasps and  in South Africa (www.diapriid.org).

Species Uncertain

 * Lepisiota sp.1:
 * Lepisiota sp.2:

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.