Lepisiota opaciventris

In Saudi Arabia this is one of the more common members of Lepisiota. It forms large polygynous colonies. (Collingwood, 1985)

Identification
This species is similar to Lepisiota gracilicornis in the long appendages but differs in sculpture. The propodeum and gaster are faintly sculptured with a dull shine instead of being completely brilliant. (Collingwood, 1985)

This beautiful variety is distinct from all others in having a silky gaster. It belongs to the bipartita group, including Lepisiota sericea from Hindustan. However, the shape of the head approaches that of Lepisiota frauenfeldi aegyptiaca. (Finzi, 1936)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates. Palaearctic Region: Egypt, Israel, Oman.

Biology
Sharaf et al (2018) - Oman: This species was found nesting under a stone and next to a date palm tree where soil was moist. Several workers were found foraging on the ground close to an Acacia tree where the soil was dry.

Nomenclature

 *  opaciventris. Acantholepis frauenfeldi var. opaciventris Finzi, 1936: 187, fig. 11 (w.) EGYPT. Combination in Lepisiota: Bolton, 1995b: 228. Raised to species: Collingwood, 1985: 296.

Description
Length 2.8mm. All black and opaque, except for the polished upper mesonotum; tibia, tarsus, mandibles and antennae yellow.

The gaster silky with bluish reflections. Dorsum of scale sculptured, similar to Lepisiota bipartita; propodeum very weakly spined. Elongated head with the front sides sub-parallel and a little narrower than the pronotum. The few erect hairs are scattered on the head and on the edge of the segments gaster.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Collingwood C. A., D. Agosti, M. R. Sharaf, A. Van Harten, 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod Fauna of the UAE 4: 405-474
 * Collingwood C.A., D.Agosti, M.R. Sharaf, and A. van Harten. 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod fauna of the UAE, 4: 405474
 * Dietrich C. O. 2004. Taxonomische Beiträge zur Myrmekofauna Jordaniens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Denisia 14: 319-344.
 * El-Hawagry M. S., M. W. Khalil, M. R. Sharaf, H. H. Fadl, and A. S. Aldawood. 2013. A preliminary study on the insect fauna of Al-Baha Province, Saudi Arabia, with descriptions of two new species. ZooKeys 274: 188. doi:10.3897/zookeys.274.4529
 * Kugler J. 1988. The zoogeography of Israel. 9. The zoogeography of social insects of Israel and Sinai. Monographiae biologicae 62: 251-275.
 * Sharaf M. R., B. L. Fisher, H. M. Al Dhafer, A. Polaszek, and A. S. Aldawood. 2018. Additions to the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Oman: an updated list, new records and a description of two new species. Asian Myrmecology 10: e010004
 * Vonshak M., and A. Ionescu-Hirsch. 2009. A checklist of the ants of Israel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Israel Journal of Entomology 39: 33-55.