Leptogenys foraminosa

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

A Panama specimen was taken from litter berlesate, and a Chocó specimen was taken in mangrove and secondary forest, in a malaise trap (Lattke 2011).

Identification

Lattke (2011) - A member of the elongata species group. Cephalic dorsum with fine striae anterad, densely areolate posterad; eye laterally placed on head; Median clypeal process broadly triangular, apically with 2 – 3 setae; prothorax smaller in size than rest of mesosoma; procoxa smooth in lateral view with series of punctae along longitudinal axis of coxa; propodeal dorsum areolate-rugulose anterad, posterad densely punctate to imbricate, laterally ruglose-punctuate to striate-punctuate.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Ranges from Costa Rica to northwestern Colombia.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 10.3° to 6.016944444°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Colombia, Costa Rica (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

Explore-icon.png Explore Overview of Leptogenys biology 
The biology of Leptogenys foraminosa 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.

  • foraminosa. Leptogenys foraminosa Lattke, 2011: 159, fig. 16 (w.) COSTA RICA.

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

The Colombian specimens have a slightly smaller HL, though with such few specimens at hand this could not be called a trend. The ant from Chocó lacks antennae and has a more subquadrate head, with the posterior cephalic margin well differentiated from the lateral margin, inconspicuous lateral clypeal lobe, and weak posterior propodeal lobe. The Bolívar specimen has punctae on the node dorsum forming deep irregular sulci.

Description

Worker

Metrics, holotype (non-type specimens, n=3): HL 1.65 (1.45-1.55); HW 1.15 (1.01-1.08); ML 0.91 (0.78-0.84); EL 0.34 (0.27-0.30); SL 1.85 (1.79-1.79); PW 0.94 (0.84-0.91); WL 2.63 (2.39-2.46); PH 1.11 (0.91-0.98); PL 0.98 (0.78-0.91); DPW 0.74 (0.67-0.67) mm. CI 0.69 (0.68-0.70); MI 0.79 (0.75-0.83); OI 0.29 (0.27-0.28); SI 1.62 (0.00-1.77); LPI 1.14 (1.07-1.17); DPI 0.76 (0.74-0.87).

Head in full-face view elongate, slightly wider anterad than posterad, posterolateral margins form inverted “U”, posterior margin convex, lateral margin broadly convex. Median clypeal process broadly triangular, apically with 2 – 3 setae, lateral lobe with sinuate lateral margin, wider anterad than posterad, forming obtuse angle with lateral margin of median lobe; anterior clypeal margin without translucent lamella. Eye laterally placed, slightly closer to median cephalic length than to mandibular insertion, eye length just under one-third that of lateral cephalic margin. Scape densely punctuate, surpassing posterior cephalic border by over one-third its length; second antennal segment more than half the length of third, length of third segment at least 3 x apical width, funicular segments subcylindrical, weakly narrower basad than apicad. Cephalic dorsum with fine oblique striae between eye and clypeus, posteromedially becoming areolate-rugulose and areolate towards vertex, shallow piligerous punctae sparsely impressed; clypeus mostly striate. Head ventrad of eye shallowly punctuate with space between depressions slightly wider than on frons, ventral cephalic surface with fine arching parallel striae and sparse punctae, devoid of areolae; stipes longitudinally striolate, labium smooth. Mandible elongate, basal and external margins subparallel, weakly widening apicad; basal margin broadly convex, basal angle well developed, masticatory margin broadly concave; dorsal surface with sparse punctae and weak longitudinal strigulae.

Mesosoma with dorsal margin divided by deeply impressed metanotal groove in lateral view, prothorax dwarfed in size by rest of mesosoma; pronotal dorsal margin convex, mesonotal margin broadly convex to straight, propodeal dorsal margin broadly convex, rounding smoothly to declivitous margin, propodeum unarmed. Meso-metapleural suture distinctly impressed, scrobiculate; metapleural-propodeal suture well impressed. Most of pronotum areolate-rugulose to areolate-striate, becoming smooth lateroventrad, anteriorly transversely striae; most of mesometapleuron with fine striae, striae arching and oblique on anterior mesopleuron. Propodeal spiracle elongate to oval, facing posterad laterad; declivitous face flat, with fine transverse parallel striae. Mesonotum wider than long, anteriorly convex, posteriorly concave, areolate-rugulose; propodeal dorsum areolate-rugulose anterad, posterad densely punctate to imbricate, laterally rugulose-punctuate to striate-punctuate. Propleuron with oblique, parallel strigae; weak carina separates mesopleuron from mesosternum.

Petiolar node subquadrate in lateral view, anterior margin weakly convex, dorsal margin straight, posterior margin straight, slightly inclined anterad. Dorsum of node coarsely imbricate with sparse punctae, sculpturing smoothens laterad, lateral margins of node in cross-section at mid-length convex. Node subrectangular in dorsal view, slightly widest posterad. Postpetiolar anterior margin mostly vertical, weakly convex in lateral view; gaster shining with abundant piligerous punctulae, constriction between abdominal segments III & IV weak, stridulitrum visible on pretergite of abdominal segment IV. Body with abundant appressed pilosity and standing hairs; scape with appressed pilosity and few standing hairs. Head, mesosoma, and most of gaster black; mandible, scape, legs, and gastral apex dark brown; funiculus mostly ferruginous. Apex of meso- and metatibia each with single external seta, procoxa smooth in lateral view with series of punctae along longitudinal axis of coxa.

Type Material

Holotype worker. Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Monteverde, 1350 m, 10°18′N 84°49′W, 18.v.1988, J. Longino, No. 2095 collector. One worker deposited in the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. Paratype. Panama, Barro Colorado, 3.xi.1976, S. Levings. One worker deposited in the Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Etymology

The species name alludes to the abundant depressions formed by punctae and areolae on the body of this ant, and is derived from the Latin adjective foraminosus, which means full of holes.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • 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