Leptogenys schwabi

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Leptogenys schwabi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Ponerinae
Tribe: Ponerini
Genus: Leptogenys
Species: L. schwabi
Binomial name
Leptogenys schwabi
Forel, 1913

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Specimen labels

At a Glance • Gamergate  

Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -18.96667° to -29.76667°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: South Africa, Zimbabwe (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

Davies et al. 1994 - Colonies of L. schwabi were found in mixed mistbelt bush, mixed closed riverine bush, and fig forest composed chiefly of Acacia xanthophloea and Ficus sycomorus. Nests were located on or near the ground, in soft, alluvial soils, in shallow, rocky, dry soils, or in rotting wood. The nests in alluvial soil were less than 30 cm deep, with no obvious passages or chambers, while those in dry, rocky soils included chambers beneath stones, connected by obvious passages, and galleries extending to a depth of 45 cm. Colony size ranged from 32 to 338 individuals. The production of male pupae began in late September (Table 2), and adult males eclosed in captive colonies in early October. Several parties of 4-6 workers each were found and followed back to their nests. The ants followed one another in loose formation with frequent leader changes. Individuals often wandered as much as a meter from the group, so that the formation broke down, usually without encountering prey. Foragers preyed largely on isopods (Philoscia sp.) and termites (Odontotermes latericius), but also collected unidentified amphipods. Termites predominated during September and October, when the first rains fell and the foraging activity of termites increased. On only one occasion in 200 hr of observation was another taxon brought to the nest: a spider which was later discarded. The entrances of natural nests were surrounded by the skeletons of amphipods and isopods.

Unlike the monogynous colonies (one ergatoid queen) in the vast majority of Leptogenys species, L. schwabi colonies are polygynous with gamergates. Seven workers out of 260 from colony 1 and six out of 146 from colony 2 were mated, and all of these had active ovaries containing oocytes and corpora lutea ("yellow bodies"). Virgin laying workers were few unless gamergates were experimentally removed from the colony, indicating that their reproductive physiology is regulated by the gamergates. No physical interactions or oophagy were seen, implicating a pheromonal mechanism of regulation.

Castes

Winged queens are unknown

Leptogenys schwabi sam-hym-c001380b head 1.jpgLeptogenys schwabi sam-hym-c001380b profile 1.jpgLeptogenys schwabi sam-hym-c001380b dorsal 1.jpgLeptogenys schwabi sam-hym-c001380b label 1.jpg
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Nomenclature

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

  • schwabi. Leptogenys schwabi Forel, 1913j: 208 (w.) ZIMBABWE. Subspecies of stuhlmanni: Prins, 1965a: 153. Revived status as species: Bolton, 1975a: 259.

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton B. 1975. A revision of the ant genus Leptogenys Roger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Ethiopian region with a review of the Malagasy species. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 31: 235-305.
  • IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
  • Magagula C. N., and B. A. Nzimba. 2015. Interaction between habitat characteristics and insect diversity using ground beetles (Colenoptera: Carabidae) and ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) within a variety of agriculatural habitats. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research 13(3): 863-876.