Leptogenys loarelae

This species, only known from a single worker, was collected on the soil at an elevation of 897 m, which corresponds to a humid forest harbouring plenty of trees of the likewise endemic Austrotaxus spicata Compton (Taxaceae).

Identification
Leptogenys loarelae can be distinguished from other New Caledonia species of Leptogenys by the unique combination of the following features: integument smooth and shining, mostly black colored with blueish reflection; third antennal segment markedly elongate, more than twice the length of pedicel; mandible elongate, triangular; petiole elongate, nearly three times longer than broad in dorsal view.



Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: New Caledonia.

Nomenclature

 *  loarelae. Leptogenys loarelae Ramage, in Ramage et al., 2019: 4, fig. 1 (w.) NEW CALEDONIA.

Worker
Holotype TL 11.5; HL 2.06; HW 1.3; SL 2.56; ED 0.5; PW 1.16; MSL 3.65; PL 1.83; PH 0.8; DPW 0.63; CI 62.9; SI 197.4; LPI 43.6; DPI 34.5.

HEAD Elongate, sub-trapezoidal, lateral sides diverging anteriorly; lateral margin barely convex; posterior margin weakly concave medially, posterior lateral corners rounded. Clypeus triangular, with blunt apex and sligthly concave side margins. In full-face view, eye large, oval, maximum diameter greater than twice the maximum width of scape; placed at head midline. Antennae with scape long and slightly enlarged medially, surpassing posterior margin of head by its 2⁄5th; funicular segments elongate; third antennal segment markedly elongate, more than twice the length of the second. Mandible triangular, elongate, shorter than head width; masticatory margin edentate.

MESOSOMA Elongate, compressed laterally, widest at pronotum; mesosomal dorsal surface in profi le slightly convex. In dorsal view, mesonotum as long as broad. Propodeal spiracle slit-like. Petiole elongate, nearly three times as long as broad, trapezoidal, widest at apex; dorsal surface of petiolar node convex, posterior surface slightly concave, anterodorsal and posterodorsal corners angular. Subpetiolar process small, trapezoidal; located beneath anterior 1⁄5 th of the petiole. Gaster elongate.

INTEGUMENT. Smooth and shining, very finely and sparsely punctate; mostly black with blueish reflection, except mandibles, antennal radicel and funicular articles, tarsomeres and hypopygium and pygidium reddish brown. Dorsum of body covered by erect and suberect yellow setae; setae longer on head, scape, pronotum, procoxa and gaster, but shorter on remaining body.

Etymology
The specific epithet refers to the first name of Thibault Ramage’s daughter, Loarel. The species epithet is to be treated as a noun in the genitive case.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Ramage T., C. Jouault, A. R. Schmidt, L. J. Seyfullah, and V. Perrichot. 2019. Two new ant species (Formicidae: Dorylinae, Ponerinae) from New Caledonia. European Journal of Taxonomy 589: 1-14.