Leptogenys maxillosa

Identification
Key to Leptogenys of the New World

Lattke (2011) - The only member of the maxillosa species group. Body mostly opaque, with rough pruinosity; hypostomal teeth visible in cephalic full-face view, anterior clypeal margin forms obtuse angle medially bordered by narrow translucent lamella, not differentiated into median clypeal lobe and lateral lobes; clypeal apex with 2 setae; posterior protibial apex with single seta; subpetiolar process shaped as triangular lobe with long posterior slope.

Distribution
Known from southeastern Brazil, Cuba, Philippines, Lesser Antilles, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Kenya, Comoros, Seychelles, Réunion, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Barbados.

This taxon was described from Mauritius.

Biology
This is a tramp species of African origin with Neotropical locality records in Cuba and Brazil (Bolton 1975), but given increased globalisation this species could be present in other sites especially close to major ports. The specimens from São Paulo, Brazil were taken in urban areas, with some nesting in cracks in cracks and fissures of walls in preformed cavities (Freitas 1995). The species referred to as Leptogenys propefalcigera by Freitas (1995) is probably L. maxillosa since specimens studied in the coincide with the collection data cited in the publication. The studies by Freitas (1995) point to specialised depredation on sowbugs, and a high frequency of nest relocation, with one colony relocating 17 times within 50 days. (Lattke 2011)

Nomenclature

 *  maxillosa. Ponera maxillosa Smith, F. 1858b: 93 (w.m.) MAURITIUS. Combination in Leptogenys: Roger, 1861a: 43. Senior synonym of falcata: Forel, 1901h: 46; Bolton, 1975a: 254; of cribrata, vinsonnella: Bolton, 1975a: 254. See also: Lattke, 2011: 188.
 * falcata. Leptogenys falcata Roger, 1861a: 42 (w.) CUBA. Roger, 1862a: 244 (m.). Junior synonym of maxillosa: Forel, 1901h: 46. Revived from synonymy as subspecies of maxillosa: Emery, 1911d: 99; Wheeler, W.M. 1913b: 482. Junior synonym of maxillosa: Bolton, 1975a: 254.
 * vinsonnella. Formica vinsonnella Dufour, 1864: 210 (w.) REUNION I. Combination in Leptogenys: Emery, 1894a: 68. Subspecies of maxillosa: Emery, 1894a: 68; Forel, 1895a: 49. Junior synonym of maxillosa: Bolton, 1975a: 254.
 * cribrata. Leptogenys cribrata Emery, 1895h: 20 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA. Junior synonym of maxillosa: Bolton, 1975a: 254.

Lattke (2011) - The sculpturing of this species, lack of standing hairs and elongate mandibles bears resemblance to similar traits in the wheeleri group. Please refer to the discussion for the maxillosa group for characters that will separate the two species groups. The L. falcata syntypes consist of two workers and a male from the Humboldt Universität collection that bear a green Cuba label, Diehl; Type. One worker is in excellent condition, the other is missing the gaster posterad of the third abdominal segment and an antenna. All specimens are point-mounted.

Worker
Lattke (2011) - Metrics (n = 3) : HL 1.32 – 1.49; HW 1.34 – 1.54; ML 1.09 – 1.27; EL 0.30 – 0.33; SL 1.32 – 1.42; PW 0.89 – 0.99; WL 2.18 – 2.53; PH 0.89 – 0.96; PL 0.61 – 0.76; DPW 0.68–0.68 mm. CI 0.97–1.03; MI 0.80–0.82; OI 0.20 – 0.24; SI 0.92 – 0.99; LPI 1.27 – 1.46; DPI 0.90 – 1.13.

Head subquadrate in full-face view, widest just before eye or at eye level; lateral cephalic margin convex; posterior margin broadly convex; eyes large and flattened, length covers a fourth of lateral cephalic margin. Head with opaque pruinosity, clypeus rugulose, not opaque. Scape surpasses posterior cephalic margin by at least 2 apical widths, lacking standing hairs but with fine appressed pubescence; second funicular segment more than 2 × longer than wide, third about 2 × longer than wide and first about 1.5 × longer than wide. Anterior clypeal margin convex, forming blunt obtuse angle, bordered by narrow, translucent lamella; long hairs present along clypeal anterior margin, two median long hairs and two median setae present in front of lamella. Mandible arched, especially basad; parallel-sided and elongate, mostly smooth and shining, basally with rugulose opaque sculpturing that narrows and extends along mandible external margin; masticatory margin brief and edentate. Hypostomal teeth partially visible in cephalic full-face view.

Mesosoma in lateral view mostly continuously convex, metanotal groove broad and weakly impressed; mesosomal sculpting as in head; meso-metapleural suture well impressed; metapleural propodeal suture mostly effaced, best marked close to propodeal spiracle; spiracle elongate and slit shaped, slightly arched. In lateral view declivitous margin straight to slightly curved, separated from dorsal margin by blunt angle. Propodeum without teeth, at most with low angular lobe. No standing hairs.

Petiole in lateral view tilted anterad with semi-parallel anterior and posterior margins and a broadly curved dorsal margin; higher than long; process subquadrate with anterior and and posterior angles, with long posterior margin. Petiole shorter than long in dorsal view. Gastric sculpture more shining than mesosoma, not with rough pruinosity; fine reticule with shallow punctae with rounded edges, separated from each other by a length approximately equal to their width. Procoxa shining in lateral view. Body lacking standing pilosity except for clypeus, ventral parts of body, apex of gaster. Color grey to grey brown for body, antennae; mandibles, clypeus, legs brown. Head grey to grey brown in color.

Type Material
Ponera maxillosa. Syntype workers: Mauritius (Dr. Beke) [not examined].

Leptogenys falcata. Syntype workers: Cuba (Diehl) [examined].

Formica vinsonnella. Holotype? worker: Réunion, sugar cane plantation (Vinson) [not examined].

Leptogenys cribrata. Syntype workers: South Africa, Vrijburg (E. Simon) [not examined].

Lattke (2011) - The L. falcata syntypes consist of two workers and a male from the Humboldt Universität collection that bear a green Cuba label, Diehl; Type. One worker is in excellent condition, the other is missing the gaster posterad of the third abdominal segment and an antenna. All specimens are point-mounted.

Additional References

 * Lattke, J.E. 2011. Revision of the New World species of the genus Leptogenys Roger (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae). Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny 69:127-264.