Leptanilloidinae

Borowiec, Marek L. & Longino, John T., 2011, Three new species and reassessment of the rare Neotropical ant genus Leptanilloides (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Leptanilloidinae), ZooKeys 133, pp. 19-48 : 36-38

Leptanilloidinae male 2 Figure 7 A–F

Material examined.

COSTA RICA, Puntarenas: 5km S San Vito, 8.78333°, −82.96667° ± 2km, 1200m, 22-26 August 2010, montane wet forest, ex pan trap (M. Pollet & A. De Braekeleer) [MLBC].

Measurements in mm and indices (2 measured): HW 0.37-0.40, HL 0.30-0.31, EL 0.14-0.15, SL 0.13-0.14, LAII 0.07-0.08, LAIII 0.07, LAIV 0.06-0.07, LAXIII 0.14-0.15, MH 0.36-0.41, ML 0.65-0.68, PrW 0.31-0.33, PW 0.10-0.11, PL 0.16, AIIIW 0.19-0.20, AIIIL 0.15-0.19, AIVW 0.28-0.29, AIVL 0.20-0.22, FFeW 0.08, FFeL 0.32-0.36, HFeL 0.36-0.38, HTiL 0.37-0.40, CI 125-127, PI 65-67, MI 56-59.

Description.

Headbroader than long, with large convex eyes that occupy almost half of the sides of head. Mandible slender, tapering to pointed apex, without differentiated masticatory margin, edentate. External margin of mandible more or less straight along its length. Mandible tips crossing at closure, mandible slightly longer than eye length. Lateroclypeal teeth and hypostomal teeth lacking, clypeus short and transverse, without visible clypeal lamella (apron). Antennal sockets horizontal and exposed, located at the anterior clypeal margin that is not projecting anteriorly beyond ventral articulation with labrum. Antenna 13-segmented, each segment longer than wide, with second, third and fourth segments subequal in length. Scape of moderate length, subequal to the length of ultimate antennal segment. Scape length about twice the length of the second antennal segment, and about the combined length of the second and third antennal segments. Lateral ocellus separated from median ocellus by li ttle more than its diameter. Distance greater between lateral ocelli than between median and lateral ocellus and ocelli forming isosceles triangle. Mesosomawith distinctive pronotum: U-shaped in dorsal view and reduced anteromedially to a thin horizontal strip, set below the level of the dorsally protruding mesonotum and triangular in lateral view, with pointed posterior apex directed towards the wing base. Mesoscutum lacking notauli and parapsidal lines present, weakly marked but long, running about two thirds of mesoscutum length. Axillae depressed, not meeting medially, connected by a narrow furrow; tegula very small and inconspicuous. Mesopleuron lacking oblique transverse sulcus and hence not divided into anepisternum and katepisternum. Mesoscutellum raised above level of mesosctum but not prominently bulging, as seen in lateral view. Metapleural gland not discernable. Propodeum with dorsal surface clearly shorter than declivous. Propodeal spiracle small, circular, positioned at midheight of propodeum and slightly posterior to the metanotum. Legs slender, mid tibia with one simple and hind tibia with one pectinate spur, pretarsal claw lacking preapical tooth. Wingwith relatively well developed venation (for Leptanilloides). Fore wing with C present, tubular and weakly pigmented. Sc+R very closely approximated to the wing margin, very narrow, compressed vertically. Sc+R1 region joining Sc+R at obtuse angle, tubular. Pterostigma well marked. R1·f3 absent. M+Cu nebulous but conspicuous, slightly curved towards posterior wing margin before division. Rs·f1 stub present, tubular but not reaching Sc+R. M·f1 pigmented, tubular. Rs+M tubular and pigmented, straight. Rs·f2 and Rs·f3 joined, not differentiated, tubular and pigmented. 1r-rs absent. 2r-rs present, tubular and pigmented. Rs·f4 and Rs·f5 joined and not differentiated in the absence of 2rs-m. Rs·f4&f5 partly tubular and partly nebulous, terminating before wing margin. Free abscissae of M present, nebulous and very weakly visible. Abscissae of Cu joined, nebulous throughout most of the length and continuing as spectral. Vein A tubular, joining cu-a at obtuse angle and confluent with Rs+M, apparently absent beyond cu-a. Posterior margin of fore wing with narrow, conspicuous fold where hamuli attach. Hind wing with C absent. Rc+R present, tubular but compressed, reaching about third of wing length. Anterior margin of hind wing with little differentiated pigmentation. Three hamuli originate in the pigmented region. Jugal lobe absent. Metasoma slender in lateral view, obovate in dorsal view, widest at abdominal segment IV. Petiole (abdominal segment II) ovate in lateral view, longer than high or wide, and weakly constricted posteriorly, the helcium thus apparently quite broad. Petiolar spiracle located on anterior third of the segment, near anterodorsal extremity. Abdominal segment III larger than petiole, and not developed as postpetiole nor separated from abdominal segment IV by a marked constriction. Abdominal spiracle III located on anterior third of tergite. Abdominal segments II and III with tergosternal fusion. Abdominal segment IV and succeeding segments lacking tergosternal fusion. Segment IV with weakly differentiated presclerites. Spiracle present on anterior third of tergite IV. Abdominal segments V and VI lacking well differentiated presclerites, and not separated from succeeding segments by constrictions. Abdominal spiracles V and VI not discernable in specimens examined but possibly present at anterior margins of respective tergites. Pygostyli absent. Abdominal sternite IX (subgenital plate) was hidden and not observed. Basal ring present, not hypertrophied. Paramere relatively broad, not tapering, apically harpago truncated. Paramere little longer than petiole length. Volsella simple, lacking differentiated cuspis, tapering suddenly at midlength and distally pointed, forming ventrally directed hooks. Aedeagus apparently very short, could not be observed directly without dissection. Body size moderate. Integument mostly smooth and shiny, with scattered piligerous punctures. Pilosity common on most of body, suberect to decumbent. Color light brown, head, and mesoscutellum darker. Antennal segments I–III light, the rest light brown. Other appendages (mandibles, legs) lighter.

Discussion.

These two males are from 1200m elevation wet forest, at the Wilson Botanical Garden in southern Costa Rica. They were collected by Marc Pollet in yellow pan traps on the forest floor, in late August, 2010.

These large male specimens can be recognized by sublinear, evenly tapering mandible without differentiated basal and masticatory margins, moderate size and relatively well developed wing venation. From Leptanilloidinae male 3 they differ in subequal dorsal and declivous faces of propodeum (dorsal surface shorter in male 3), shorter petiole and free abscissae of M joining Rs+M. From Leptanilloides mckennae they can be distinguished by arched propodeum (flattened in mckennae) and sublinear mandibles (subtriangular in mckennae).