Leptogenys rabesoni

This species is only recorded once from the dry forest habitats of Tsiombikibo near Mitsinjo in western Madagascar where the worker specimens were found foraging on the ground.

Identification
A member of the fiandry species group. Rakotonirina and Fisher (2014) - Worker. Eye maximum width roughly equal to widest portion of antennal scape; dorsum of body mostly punctate; mandibular blades striate; masticatory margin with two teeth, one apical and a second preapical; mesopleuron and lower half of lateral surface of propodeum densely and finely reticulate-rugulose; node approximately as high as long in profile; posterior margin of propodeum with distinct toothlike lobe; dorsum of body with short subdecumbent or apressed hairs.

This species is easily distinguishable from other species within the same species group by its longitudinally striate mandible. The mandible of other species is smooth and shiny.

Key to Malagasy Leptogenys

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  rabesoni. Leptogenys rabesoni Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2014: 72, figs. 8A, 88, 93 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
(4 specimens). HW: 0.77–0.81, HL: 1.07–1.10, CI: 70–73, SL: 0.83–0.90, SI: 108–115, PW: 0.54–0.67, WL: 1.60–1.70, PNH: 0.50–0.53, PNL: 0.45–0.49, PNW: 0.45–0.47, DNI: 96–100, LNI: 106–112.

Head weakly broader in front and slightly narrower in the back; sides almost straight. Maximum width of eye roughly equal to largest width of scape. Anterior clypeal margin projecting into triangular lobe covered with narrowly rounded semi-translucent lamella. Mandible with three teeth, one apical plus two preapical, middle tooth very small and resembles denticle or blunt angle. Antennal scape barely surpassing posterior cephalic margin. Propodeum without distinct lobe. In lateral view, petiolar node approximately as high as long; anterior and posterior faces meeting dorsum in a distinct angle. Subpetiolar process consisting of anterior tooth or lobe and small posterior triangular tooth. In profile, anteroventral angle of third abdominal segment protruding anteriorly as sharp ventrally directed lobe. Mandible longitudinally striate, interspersed with sparse punctures. Dorsum of head covered with dense and fine small punctures. Pronotum and petiolar node with punctures but not as dense and as strong as those on head; propodeum and third and fourth abdominal segments generally smooth dorsally. With mesosoma in profile, mostly lower half of mesopleuron and propodeum finely reticulate rugulose or finely striate. Erect hairs absent from antennal scape except for the basal portion; long erect hairs may be present on anterior border of pronotum. Hairs on dorsum of the remainder of pronotum and mesonotum to gaster short and subdecumbent or appressed.

Type Material
Holotype worker: Madagascar, Mahajanga, Mitsinjo, Tsiombikibo Forest m., -16.0833, 45.8667, dry forest, on ground, 18 Apr 1993 (P. Rabeson) MCZ code: MCZ0.1117W, AntWeb specimen code: CASENT0195430. Paratypes: 3 workers with same data as holotype but with MCZ codes: MCZ0.1117W, MCZ0.1118W and following AntWeb specimen codes: CASENT0195431, CASENT0195432, CASENT0195429 (MCZC, ).