Leptogenys socorda

Identification
Key to Leptogenys of the New World

Lattke (2011) - Eyes subglobular, slightly placed dorso-medially; clypeus with median lobe narrowing abruptly at apex, not acutely pointed and with rounded triangular lobe on each side; cephalic dorsum rugulose; scape densely punctuate; mandible of uniform width, dorsum finely striolate. Mesonotum and propodeum with transverse strigae; petiole in lateral view with convex to bluntly angular anterodorsal margin, apex bluntly rounded and posterior margin convex.

A member of the ingens species group. L. socorda could be confused with Leptogenys carbonaria. L. socorda has a smooth node compared with the rough sculpturing of the node in L. carbonaria; and the metanotal groove is not as deeply impressed in L. socorda.

Distribution
This taxon is known from northwestern Colombia.

Castes
Queen, male. Unknown.

Nomenclature

 *  socorda. Leptogenys socorda Lattke, 2011: 176, fig. 31 (w.) COLOMBIA.

Worker
Metrics, holotype (paratypes, n = 4): HL 2.10 (2.05-2.25); HW 1.55 (1.50-1.55); ML 1.25 (1.20-1.45); EL 0.43 (0.40-0.43); SL 2.45 (2.30-2.45); PW 1.33 (1.30-1.40); WL 3.65 (3.50-3.70); PH 1.20 (1.25-1.40); PL 1.35 (1.30-1.45); DPW 0.70 (0.65-0.75) mm. CI 0.74 (0.69-0.73); MI 0.81 (0.80-0.94); OI 0.27 (0.26-0.27); SI 1.58 (1.53-1.58); LPI 0.89 (0.93-1.04); DPI 0.52 (0.47-0.56).

Head in full-face view elongate, slightly widest anterad; posterior and lateral margins continuously convex; lateral margin broadly convex, almost straight; compound eye occupies less than one-fourth of lateral cephalic margin, eye subglobular, set slightly dorsomesad on head. Clypeal median lobe triangular with apex narrowing abruptly and finely rounded, median lobe with rounded triangular lobe at each side. Cephalic dorsum mostly rugulose; area between eye and antennal fossa with arched striae. Clypeus with transverse striae. Scape densely punctulate, surpasses posterior cephalic border by over a third its length; funicular segments longer than wide; third antennal segment twice longer than first and at least as long as fourth and fifth combined. Mandible elongate, relatively straight in cephalic full-face view, of uniform width; dorsal surface finely striolate with sparse punctae; inner margin mostly broadly convex, basal angle with single low denticle; chewing margin with single triangular notch separating low triangular pre-apical tooth from apical tooth; one mandible closes next to clypeus, other mandible leaves narrow gap. Ventral cephalic surface with strigulae forming concentric ovals, hypostomal tooth well developed as elongate lobe, not visible in dorsal cephalic view.

Mesosoma with promesonotum forming broad convexity in lateral view; posterior margin of mesonotum drops to metanotal groove, propodeal dorsal margin broadly convex, meeting declivity through single convexity. Pronotal sides mostly longitudinally to obliquely striate; propleural lateral face transversely strigulate, ventral face smoothened. Pronotum with narrow anterior strip of 3 – 4 transverse strigulae; medially with oblique parallel strigulae that diverge posteriorly. Mesometapleura, mesonotum and propodeum transversely striate; mesometapleural suture well impressed; metapleural-propodeal suture weakly impressed; tubercle of metathoracic spiracle prominent, smooth with fine punctulae; propodeal spiracle elongate, posterolaterally facing. Propodeum with smooth area next to petiolar insertion. Ventral mesopleural carina low, anteriorly forming triangular denticle. Mesosternum mostly smooth with transverse striae anterad and mesad. Mesosternal carina well developed.

Petiole with convex to bluntly angular anterodorsal margin in lateral view; dorsal margin straight, ascending to rounded apex that slightly overhangs posterior margin, posterior margin weakly concave. Node mostly smooth and shining with transverse striae on ventral posterior face. Node elongate and cuneiform in dorsal view; anterior margin narrow; posterior margin forms blunt angle. Anterior postpetiolar margin vertical up to half of node height in lateral view, then convex; gaster mostly smooth and shining with sparse punctulae; pygidium with longitudinal median crest along posterior half. Body in general with abundant erect to semi-erect hairs, without appressed pilosity; scape with dense decumbent pilosity. Procoxa smooth and shining in lateral view; profemur basally smooth, becoming densely punctulate apicad in lateral view, densely punctulate in dorsal view; protibia with two setae just above strigil; apex of protarsal segments with two pairs of setae. Head, mesosoma, petiole, and abdominal segments III – IV mostly black; mandible brown; scape and legs very dark brown, almost black; antennal segments two and three mostly dark brown, remaining segments brown; apical abdominal segments brown.

Type Material
Holotype worker. Colombia, Serranía de Perijá, Socorda Mission, 1400 m, 14.viii.1968, B. Malkin. One worker deposited in. – Paratypes. With the same locality data as the holotype: 1w, 1w , 9w MCZC.

There is some confusion regarding the type locality since the Serranía de Perijá is the same mountain range as the Serranía de Motilones, but the former is the Venezuelan name and the latter is the Colombian name.

Etymology
The species name is derived from the name of the religious mission close to where the ants were collected.