Leptogenys cuneata

Leptogenys cuneata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ponerinae
Tribe:	Ponerini
Genus:	Leptogenys
Species group:	luederwaldti
Species:	L. cuneata
Binomial name
Leptogenys cuneata Lattke, 2011 Specimen Label

A specimen from Panama was collected from wet forest.

Identification

Lattke (2011) - A member of the luederwaldti species group. Head elongate in full-face view; compound eye broadly convex, flattened, diameter covers one-third of lateral cephalic margin; propodeal margin convex, unarmed, without lobe or denticle; petiole elongate and triangular in lateral view, anterodorsal margin straight; protibial apex with translucent lobe next to strigil.

Keys including this Species

• Key to New World Leptogenys

Distribution

Known from Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Peru.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 8.783333333° to -3.4945°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Ecuador (type locality), Panama, Peru.

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 cuneata 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

Queens and males are unknown.

Nomenclature

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

• cuneata. Leptogenys cuneata Lattke, 2011: 182, fig. 36 (w.) ECUADOR.

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

The presence of setae on the tibial apices varies as the Colombian material has a protibial seta, but this is lacking in the type series and Peruvian specimens, and a single internal mesotibial seta is present on the Peruvian specimen. This species shares with Leptogenys gaigei the translucent protibial lobe, but L. gaigei can be separated by the shorter node with a convex anterodorsal margin and the presence of propodeal lobes. Other characters are discussed in the comments for Leptogenys gaigei.

Description

Worker

Metrics, holotype (paratypes, n = 5): HL 1.85 (1.70 – 1.85); HW 1.15 (1.05 – 1.15); ML 0.80 (0.70 –0.80); EL 0.45 (0.40 – 0.45); SL 2.50 (2.10 – 2.45); PW 1.00 (0.90 – 0.95); WL 3.20 (2.90 – 3.25); PH 0.95 (0.80 – 0.90); PL 1.35 (1.15 – 1.30); DPW 0.50 (0.45 – 0.50) mm. CI 0.62 (0.62 – 0.63); MI 0.70 (0.64 – 0.71); OI 0.39 (0.36 – 0.41); SI 2.17 (2.00 – 2.14); LPI 0.70 (0.62 – 0.78); DPI 0.37 (0.38 – 0.40).

Head elongate in full-face view, posterior margin broadly convex, lateral cephalic margins gradually diverging anterad, lateral margin convex posterad, otherwise mostly broadly convex; median clypeal lobe triangular, lateral margins foliaceous, apex with small denticle; anterolateral clypeal lobe inconspicuous; PF: 4,4. Compound eye broadly convex, diameter covers one-third of lateral cephalic margin; mandible semiparallel, dorsal surface with fine parallel striae; cephalic dorsum mostly smooth and shining, with some striae on clypeus. Scape surpasses posterior cephalic border by more than one-third its length; third antennal segment more than 3 x longer than second segment; fourth antennal segment more than half length of third.

Mesosoma with promesonotum forming single convexity in lateral view, metanotal groove broadly impressed, dorsal propodeal margin broadly convex, more than twice length of declivitous margin; propodeal margin convex, unarmed, without lobe or denticle. Mesosoma mostly smooth and shining, propodeal declivity with coarse transverse striae, fine transverse striae of mesosternum extend briefly laterad in triangular shaped area between posterolateral pronotum and anteroventral mesopleuron; mesometapleural suture well impressed, scrobiculate; mesonotum slightly longer than wide. Petiole elongate and triangular in lateral view, anterodorsal margin straight, posterior margin slightly inclined, weakly convex; node wedge shaped in dorsal view, lateral margin concave. Subpetiolar process subrectangular, posterior margin longer than anterior margin.

Anterior margin of third abdominal segment evenly convex; constriction between abdominal segments III and IV weak. Coxae and rest of legs mostly smooth and shining, tibiae and femora densely punctulate; protibial apex with translucent lobe next to strigil, usually lacking apical seta, occasionally single seta present just anterad of strigil; mesotibial apex with single seta on external side, 1 – 2 setae present internally; metatibial apex with single internal seta. Mesosoma with sparse subdecumbent pilosity; cephalic dorsum with several suberect to erect hairs; scape with abundant pilosity, no hairs. Mandible, antenna, legs, and gastral apex brown; rest of body black with blue iridescence; coxae sometimes also black.

Type Material

Holotype worker. Ecuador, Morona, Santiago Los Tayos, 3.viii.1978, Tjitte de Vries. Deposited in Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo. Paratypes. Sixteen workers from the same nest as the holotype deposited in MZSP.

Etymology

The species name alludes to the wedge shaped petiolar node. It is derived from the Latin for wedge, cuneus.

References

• Lattke, J. E. 2011. Revision of the New World species of the genus Leptogenys Roger (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae). Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny 69:127-264. [2011-12-13] PDF

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Bezdeckova K., P. Bedecka, and I. Machar. 2015. A checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Peru. Zootaxa 4020 (1): 101–133.
• Huong N. T. T., P. V. Sang, and B. T. Viet. 2015. A preliminary study on diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at Hon Ba Nature Reserve. Environmental Scientific Conference 7: 614-620.
• Lattke J. E. 2011. Revision of the New World species of the genus Leptogenys Roger (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae). Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny 69: 127-264