Lenomyrmex

Lenomyrmex is a Neotropical genus of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae.[2]

Lenomyrmex
L. colwelli worker from Costa Rica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Hymenoptera
Family:
Formicidae
Subfamily:
Myrmicinae
Tribe:
Attini
Genus:
Lenomyrmex

Fernández & Palacio, 1999
Type species
Lenomyrmex mandibularis
Fernández & Palacio, 1999
Diversity[1]
7 species

Species
  • Lenomyrmex colwelli Longino, 2006
  • Lenomyrmex costatus Fernández & Palacio, 1999
  • Lenomyrmex foveolatus Fernández & Palacio, 1999
  • Lenomyrmex hoelldobleri
  • Lenomyrmex inusitatus (Fernández, 2001)
  • Lenomyrmex mandibularis Fernández & Palacio, 1999
  • Lenomyrmex wardi Fernández & Palacio, 1999

Distribution

Lenomyrmex includes six rarely collected species from Costa Rica to Ecuador.[3] Species have been collected from elevations close to sea level to 1800 m but seem to be mainly restricted to mid-elevations, that is, 1100–1500 m.[4]

Description

The genus is characterized by elongate mandibles bearing a series of minute peg-like denticles that arise behind the masticatory margin, by frontal lobes that are poorly expanded laterally, by large and deep antennal fossae, and by pedunculate petiole, with a poorly defined node.[3] Among Lenomyrmex species, the queen caste has been described only for L. mandibularis, L. wardi and L. inusitatus.[3]

Taxonomy

The fact that Lenomyrmex possesses both primitive (e.g., promesonotal suture well developed) and derived (e.g., specialized morphology of the mandibles) characters makes ascertaining its correct phylogenetic position challenging. The genus was tentatively placed in its own tribe, Lenomyrmecini, but its position within the Myrmicinae remained to be determined. Preliminary results of a phylogenetic analysis indicated that Lenomyrmex fell within a clade of predominantly New World ants that includes the tribes Attini, Cephalotini, Dacetini, and the genus Pheidole.[3] The genus was finally placed in Attini, when Ward et al. (2014) synonymized Lenomyrmecini under Attini.[5]

Biology

The unusual morphology of the mandibles suggests that Lenomyrmex is a specialist predator on an unknown prey. This habit is possibly linked to its apparent rarity and restricted elevational distribution. The degree of queen-worker dimorphism is weak, suggesting small colony sizes and absence of claustral independent colony foundation.[4] In a study, a thorough inspection of the dead wood laying on the ground and of soil samples failed to uncover any nest of L. inusitatus. This and the fact that both workers and dealate queens have been extracted from the leaf litter (Winkler method) may indicate that this species nests and forages in the leaf litter.[4]

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References
  1. Bolton, B. (2015). "Lenomyrmex". AntCat. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  2. "Genus: Lenomyrmex". antweb.org. AntWeb. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  3. Delsinne & Fernández 2012, p. 1
  4. Delsinne & Fernández 2012, p. 4
  5. Ward, Philip S.; Brady, Sean G.; Fisher, Brian L.; Schultz, Ted R. (2014). "The evolution of myrmicine ants: phylogeny and biogeography of a hyperdiverse ant clade (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)" (PDF). Systematic Entomology. 40 (1). doi:10.1111/syen.12090. ISSN 1365-3113.
  • Delsinne, T.; Fernández, F. (2012), "First Record of Lenomyrmex inusitatus (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in Ecuador and Description of the Queen", Psyche: A Journal of Entomology, 2012: 1–5, doi:10.1155/2012/145743
  • This article incorporates text from a scholarly publication published under a copyright license that allows anyone to reuse, revise, remix and redistribute the materials in any form for any purpose: Delsinne, T.; Fernández, F. (2012), "First Record of Lenomyrmex inusitatus (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in Ecuador and Description of the Queen", Psyche: A Journal of Entomology, 2012: 1–5, doi:10.1155/2012/145743 Please check the source for the exact licensing terms.
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