Anochetus leyticus

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Anochetus leyticus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Ponerinae
Tribe: Ponerini
Genus: Anochetus
Species: A. leyticus
Binomial name
Anochetus leyticus
Zettel, 2012

Anochetus leyticus casent0915890 p 1 high.jpg

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Specimen Labels

Known only from the type collection. Nothing is known about the biology of Anochetus leyticus.

Identification

Zettel (2012) - TL 5.5-5.7 mm. Head with deeply emarginated vertex; longitudinal striation covering a large area on frons and vertex. Eye moderately large, glabrous. Mandible long, MdI = 73-75; shaft medianly with two edges, dorsal one smooth, ventral one minutely serrate; intercalary tooth absent. Pronotum with distinct longitudinal striation. Propodeum with transverse costulae. Petiole with narrow node in lateral aspect, its apex narrowly rounded when seen laterally and in anterior aspect; peduncle moderately developed. Gaster tergite 1 with sparse punctures. Whole dorsum with sparse setiferation.

Anochetus leyticus belongs to the A. risii species group as defined by Brown (1978). In his key this species goes to couplet 10, with Anochetus tua from West Malaysia and Anochetus incultus from Luzon Island. It differs from A. incultus by size and sculpture (see Philippines key). Anochetus tua is much larger (TL 7.6-8.2 mm vs. 5.5-5.7 mm) and has relatively large eyes and a thick petiolar node.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Philippines (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Zettel 2012 Anochetus fig 8-11.jpg

Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • leyticus. Anochetus leyticus Zettel, 2012: 159, figs. 7-11 (w.) PHILIPPINES (Leyte I.).
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 6 paratype workers.
    • Type-locality: holotype Philippines: Leyte Prov., Leyte I., Baybay, slopes of Mt Pangasugan, brhind Layte State University, banks of Calbiga-a River, 50-100 m., 20-21.iii.2005, #422 (H. Zettel & C.V. Pangantihon); paratypes with same data.
    • Type-depositories: USCC (holotype); HSZC, NHMW (paratypes).
    • Distribution: Philippines (Leyte I.).

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Holotype: TL 5.64; HL 1.35; HW 1.20; CI 89; MdL 1.01; MdI 75; SL 1.22; SI 102; MsL 1.91; PnW 0.66; PtH 0.42; PtL 0.50; PtW 0.22. Measurements of paratype with smallest HW: TL 5.50; HL 1.34; HW 1.19; CI 89; MdL 0.99; MdI 74; SL 1.22; SI 103; MsL 1.85; PnW 0.64; PtH 0.44; PtL 0.47; PtW 0.21. Measurements of paratype with largest HW: TL 5.70; HL 1.38; HW 1.24; CI 90; MdL 1.03; MdI 75; SL 1.27; SI 102; MsL 1.92; PnW 0.66; PtH 0.44; PtL 0.51; PtW 0.22.

Colour: Medium brown; centre of head dorsum, mesosoma, and tergites 2-3 slightly infuscated; mandibles, antennae, tarsi, and apex of abdomen pale brown.

Structures: Head with moderately developed ocular and temporal prominences and deeply emarginated vertex; frontal striation extended posteriorly onto vertex, almost reaching nuchal carina. Eye medium-sized, glabrous. Mandible moderately long, stout, medial plane terminating in a large tooth, ventral edge of plane weakly serrate; intercalary tooth absent. Antenna long and slender; scape strongly curved, distal part narrowed; flagellum slender, antennomere 3 slightly shorter than antennomeres 2 and 4, following antennomeres steadily increasing in length.

Mesosoma slender. Disc of pronotum with coarse, longitudinally orientated costae. Mesonotum smooth, metanotum with longitudinal costae. Propodeum with 24-29 transverse costae, counted along midline. Sides of thorax mostly striate, but mesopleura smooth except for some, variably developed, short striae anteriorly and posteroventrally. Petiole with short peduncle and narrow node; its apex in lateral aspect narrowly rounded, in anterior aspect almost pointed. Gaster smooth and shiny except for sparse setae-bearing punctures.

Type Material

Holotype (worker, University of San Carlos Entomological Collection) and six paratypes (workers, Herbert and S.V. Zettel, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna) from Leyte Island, Leyte Province, Baybay, slopes of Mt. Pangasugan, behind Leyte State University, banks of Calbiga-a River, 50-100 m a.s.l., 20.-21.III.2005, leg. H. Zettel & C.V. Pangantihon (# 422)

Etymology

This species is named after the island of origin, Leyte.

References