Leptogenys australis

Leptogenys australis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ponerinae
Tribe:	Ponerini
Genus:	Leptogenys
Species:	L. australis
Binomial name
Leptogenys australis (Emery, 1888) Specimen labels
Synonyms
Leptogenys hanseni Borgmeier, 1930

Specimens from Cerro Animas, Uruguay were found under a stone.

Identification

Lattke (2011) - Eye relatively flat, laterally situated at mid-length of lateral cephalic margin; mesonotum with curved anterior and posterior margins; metanotal groove scrobiculate, propodeal declivity transversely striate.

Keys including this Species

• Key to New World Leptogenys

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -22.5108° to -31.632389°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Argentina (type locality), Brazil, Uruguay.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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.

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.

Biology

Explore Overview of Leptogenys biology  The biology of Leptogenys australis is poorly known. The Leptogenys genus page has more details about the general biology of ants in this genus, some of which is summarized in what follows. New World species have relatively small ranges, generally occur in humid forests and prey on isopods. Colonies may occur in high densities on a local scale, with up to 5 or 6 species present. Nest size tends to be small with just 20 or 30 individuals in a mature colony. Nests of most species may be found in rotten wood on the ground, usually within cavities in logs or large branches, and also beneath bark. Wood-soil and rock-soil interfaces are another common nesting location, as well as rock crevices, and a few species may nest directly in the soil. Reproduction is most commonly via ergatoid females and, in many species, may include egg-laying workers. ‎

Castes

Queen, male. Unknown.

Nomenclature

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

• australis. Lobopelta australis Emery, 1888e: 693 (w.) ARGENTINA. Combination in Leptogenys (Lobopelta): Emery, 1911d: 105. Senior synonym of hanseni: Lattke, 2011: 227.
• hanseni. Leptogenys (Lobopelta) hanseni Borgmeier, 1930: 31, pl. 4, figs. 16, 23, 24, 27, 28 (w.q.) BRAZIL. Junior synonym of australis: Lattke, 2011: 227.

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

Lattke (2011) - In the MCSN collection a single worker, obliquely glued to a carton, was examined. It is apparently the only specimen examined by Emery and is consequently considered the holotype even though Emery did not designate it as such. One of the measured specimens lacks both antennae. The syntypes of L. hanseni in MZSP correspond to L. australis. L. hanseni has the propodeal spiracle slightly ovoid, and the mesonotum a bit more ovoid (not as transverse) than in L. australis but such differences exist amongst conspecifics in other Leptogenys. Borgmeier (1930) did not consider L. australis when discussing other Leptogenys close to L. hanseni. Another syntype of L. hanseni deposited in the IBSP was also examined. The Instituto Butantan specimen is cleaner than the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo specimens.

Description

Worker

Lattke (2011) - Metrics (n = 2) : HL 0.94 – 0.94; HW 0.58 – 0.61; ML 0.40 – 0.46; EL 0.10 – 0.13; SL 0.03 – 0.78; PW 0.53 – 0.56; WL 1.32 – 1.37; PH 0.53 – 0.53; PL 0.53 – 0.56; DPW 0.38–0.38 mm. CI 0.62–0.65; MI 0.70–0.75; OI 0.17 – 0.21; SI 0.04 – 1.35; LPI 0.95 – 1.00; DPI 0.68 – 0.71.

Head rectangular in full-face view, lateral margins parallel, straight; posterior margin straight, vertexal carina visible; head width greatest behind eyes; eye relatively flat, lens of each ommatidium fusing with each other, laterally situated at mid-length of lateral cephalic margin; median clypeal process abruptly protrudes anterad, about as long as broad, basally slightly converging then at mid-length tapering to pointed tip. Front of head smooth and shining. Mandible with sinuate basal margin, convex basad and concave apicad; apical half of convexity with row of stiff hairs; chewing margin brief, edentate with blunt apical tooth; dorsum smooth and shining, not expanded apicad into triangular shape. Scape surpasses posterior cephalic border by 2 apical widths, smooth and shining, with abundant semi-erect hairs, funicular segments I–III about same size, apical widths of each segment more than half their respective lengths.

Mesosoma with broadly convex promesonotal margin in lateral view; metanotal groove shallow but distinctly impressed, scrobiculate; dorsal propodeal margin mostly weakly convex to straight, convex towards declivity, tooth bluntly triangular. Mesosoma mostly mostly smooth and shining, some striae present on mesopleuron, and ventral metapleuron. Meso-metapleural suture well impressed, scrobiculate; anteroventral mesopleural carina well developed dorsally, becoming progressively narrower ventrad. Propodeal spiracle rounded to oval, posteriorly facing. Mesonotal dorsal surface convex, wider than long in dorsal view. Propodeal declivity with transverse striae on anterior half, and smooth posterad of teeth. No metapleural-propodeal suture visible.

Petiole in lateral view with vertical anterior and posterior margins, posterior margin about half the height of posterior margin; dorsal margin highest posterad, about as long as posterior margin, with slope most of distance of posterior convexity. Node smooth and shining, posterior face flat and with sharp curves separating it from sides. Node in dorsal view shaped as elongate trapezoid, anterior margin broadly convex, more than two-thirds the width of posterior margin, sides almost straight. Anterior postpetiolar margin vertical. Body light brown, legs, antenna, mandibles ferruginous. Gaster smooth and shining, constriction between abdominal segments III and IV well marked. Scant pilosity observed on examined specimens.

Type Material

Lattke (2011):

Holotype worker: Argentina, La Plata (C. Spegazzini) (MCSN) [examined].

Leptogenys (Lobopelta) hanseni. Syntype workers: Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Parecy Novo, 7.x.1927, under a stone (A. Hansen) (MZSP, IBSP) [examined].

References

• Emery, C. 1888e. Alcune formiche della Repubblica Argentina raccolte dal Dott. C. Spegazzini. Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. 26[=(2)(6): 690-694 (page 693, worker described)
• Emery, C. 1911e. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125 (page 105, Combination in Leptogenys (Lobopelta))
• Lattke, J.E. 2011. Revision of the New World species of the genus Leptogenys Roger (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae). Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny. 69:127-264.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Brandao, C.R.F. 1991. Adendos ao catalogo abreviado das formigas da regiao neotropical (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Rev. Bras. Entomol. 35: 319-412.
• Bruch C. 1914. Catálogo sistemático de los formícidos argentinos. Revista del Museo de La Plata 19: 211-234.
• Cuezzo, F. 1998. Formicidae. Chapter 42 in Morrone J.J., and S. Coscaron (dirs) Biodiversidad de artropodos argentinos: una perspectiva biotaxonomica Ediciones Sur, La Plata. Pages 452-462.
• Emery C. 1911. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125.
• Favretto M. A., E. Bortolon dos Santos, and C. J. Geuster. 2013. Entomofauna from West of Santa Catarina State, South of Brazil. EntomoBrasilis 6 (1): 42-63.
• Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
• Forel A. 1913. Fourmis d'Argentine, du Brésil, du Guatémala & de Cuba reçues de M. M. Bruch, Prof. v. Ihering, Mlle Baez, M. Peper et M. Rovereto. Bulletin de la Société Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles. 49: 203-250.
• Gallardo A. 1918. Las hormigas de la República Argentina. Subfamilia Ponerinas. Anales del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Buenos Aires 30: 1-112.
• Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
• Kusnezov N. 1978. Hormigas argentinas: clave para su identificación. Miscelánea. Instituto Miguel Lillo 61:1-147 + 28 pl.
• Rosa da Silva R. 1999. Formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) do oeste de Santa Catarina: historico das coletas e lista atualizada das especies do Estado de Santa Catarina. Biotemas 12(2): 75-100.
• Scott-Santos, C.P., F.A. Esteves, C.R.F. Brandao. 2008. Catalogue of "Poneromorph" ant type specimens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil. Papeis Avulsos de Zoologia 48(11):75-88.
• Vittar, F. 2008. Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de la Mesopotamia Argentina. INSUGEO Miscelania 17(2):447-466
• Vittar, F., and F. Cuezzo. "Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de la provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina." Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina (versión On-line ISSN 1851-7471) 67, no. 1-2 (2008).