Leptogenys deborae

Lattke (2011) - The type locality is a limestone plateau with an average height of 800–1100 m, covered with a mix of semi-deciduous humid forest and pasture for cattle. The area where the nest was found is rugged karst with crevasses, potholes and pinnacles. The nest was found in the soil rock interface, the ants fled upon disturbance and attempted to hide by jamming themselves in fissures in the surrounding rock. In the same plateau, Leptogenys unistimulosa is frequently found, and there is abundant nocturnal isopod activity in the leaf litter starting during the early evening hours.

Identification
Key to Leptogenys of the New World

Lattke (2011) - Eye width less than one-fourth lateral cephalic margin, situated laterally on head and close to mandibular insertion; mandibles with masticatory borders apparently in opposition except towards apex; mandible triangular, dorsum smooth and shining; mesonotum transverse, node subquadrate in dorsal view; propodeum unarmed, body mostly smooth and shining with sparse punctae.

A member of the quiriguana species group.

Distribution
This taxon is known from northcentral Venezuela.

Castes
Male unknown.

Nomenclature

 *  deborae. Leptogenys deborae Lattke, 2011: 202, fig. 57 (w.q.) VENEZUELA.

Worker
Metrics, holotype (paratypes, n = 3): HL 1.35 (1.28 – 1.35); HW 0.88 (0.84 – 0.84); ML 0.74 (0.67 – 0.74); EL 0.17 (0.17–0.20); SL 1.35 (1.31–1.35); PW 0.74 (0.74 – 0.74); WL 2.06 (2.02 – 2.02); PH 0.84 (0.81 – 0.84); PL 0.67 (0.67–0.71); DPW 0.61 (0.61–0.61) mm. CI 0.65 (0.63 – 0.66); MI 0.85 (0.80 – 0.88); OI 0.19 (0.20 – 0.24); SI 1.54 (1.56–1.60); LPI 1.25 (1.19 – 1.25); DPI 0.90 ( 0.86 – 0.90).

Head with straight posterior margin in full-face view, broadly convex lateral margin almost seamlessly joins mandibular lateral margin; median clypeal lobe broadly triangular, ending in sharp point, lateral margins of lobe translucent; clypeus mostly longitudinally striate, tending to smooth medially. Cephalic dorsum mostly smooth and shining with sparse piligerous punctulae. Scape surpasses posterior cephalic border by about one-third its length, covered with dense decumbent pubescence; second and fourth antennal segments both approximately of same length, each longer than half the length of third antennal segment. Eye situated laterally, diameter less than one-fourth lateral cephalic margin, separated from mandibular insertion by distance equal to its diameter. Mandible shuts tight against clypeal margin, triangular with smooth and shining dorsum, edentate except for apical tooth; masticatory border of each mandible barely overlaps the other except towards apex, giving appearance of perfectly opposing margins.

Mesosoma with promesonotal margin broadly convex in lateral view, metanotal groove deep, propodeal dorsal margin broadly convex, separated by blunt obtuse angle from almost straight declivity, propodeum unarmed. Mesosoma mostly smooth and shining with sparse piligerous punctae; appressed pilosity absent, sparse standing and decumbent hairs present. Mesopleuron separated from mesosternum by carina, carina widest anterad; mesometapleural suture scrobiculate; metapleuron posteroventrally striate, metapleural-propodeal suture absent; propodeal spiracle oval, posterolaterally facing, set in low depression that continues posterad to bulla; declivitous face mostly smooth and shining, flat, with 2–3 transverse striae posterad. Mesonotum wider than long, mesosternal carina expands medially as triangular lobe. Petiole in lateral view subrectangular, higher than long, anterior margin mostly vertical to irregularly broadly convex, dorsal margin convex, posterior margin vertical; node subquadrate in dorsal view, slightly wider posterad than anterad, anterior margin convex, posterior margin transverse; ventral petiolar margin mostly straight in lateral view, anterior triangular tooth present with blunt posteriorly directed lobe. Gaster smooth and shining with sparse piligerous punctulae. Stridulitrum present on fourth abdominal acrotergite. Extruded sting is more than half gastral length; lateral face of procoxa smooth and shining. Head, thorax and abdomen black, antennae, clypeus, mandibles, and legs brown; apical gastral segments ferruginous.

Queen
Metrics: HL 1.35; HW 0.88; ML 0.74; EL 0.20; SL 1.35; PW 0.74; WL 1.95; PH 0.84; PL 0.71; DPW 0.64 mm. CI 0.65; MI 0.85; OI 0.23; SI 1.54; LPI 1.19; DPI 0.90. Gaster slightly larger than worker; petiolar node anteroposteriorly more compressed; mesonotum relatively longer than in worker; propodeal margin more convex than worker in lateral view.

Type Material
Holotype worker. Venezuela, Falcón, Cerro Los Caracoles, 27.6 km E Santa Cruz de Bucaral, 10°52′N 69°02′W, 950 m, 16.iv.2003, J. Lattke 2534. Deposited in. – Paratypes. A series of 14 workers and 2 queens from the same nest as the holotype. Deposited as follows: 1w, 1w , 1w , 1w , 1w , 9w 2q MIZA.

Etymology
The species is dedicated to a friend and companion of countless caving trips, Débora Urribarrí, present when these ants were found at the edge of a pothole during a lunch break.