Discovery of the worker caste and descriptions of two new species of Anomalomyrma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Leptanillinae) with unique abdominal morphology

Abstract

The hitherto unknown worker caste of Anomalomyrma Taylor, 1990 is described for the first time. Two new species, Anomalomyrma boltoni n. sp. from Cameron Highlands, Peninsular Malaysia and Anomalomyrma helenae n. sp. from El Nido region of Palawan, Philippines, are described. In workers of both new species abdominal segments II and III (petiole and postpetiole) are rigidly fused together across both tergites and sternites. This is the first report of such fused abdominal morphology in worker Formicidae. Both new species lack a vertical lamella on the mandible, originally considered to be diagnostic for the genus and the main character separating Anomalomyrma from Protanilla Taylor, 1990. Modified generic diagnoses are proposed for both Anomalomyrma and Protanilla. Wing venation is described for the first time from an anomalomyrmine alate gyne, and prospects for the future of the nomenclature of the group's genera are discussed. A modified key to the genera of Leptanillinae is given along with a short note on the correct authorship of some leptanilline names.

Evolution of thorax architecture in ant castes highlights trade-off between flight and ground behaviors

“…colony fission, when queens are never alone). Unfortunately, there are no data for some of the putative early lineages (the fossil Sphecomyrma [ Grimaldi et al, 1997 ], and the two rare subfamilies Leptanillinae and Martialinae [ Borowiec et al, 2011 ]). Using parsimony and ML methods, we established that non-claustral behavior is the most likely ancestral condition ( Figure 3 ; ML proportional likelihood = 0.919).…”

Synonymization of the male-based ant genusPhaulomyrma(Hymenoptera, Formicidae) withLeptanillabased upon Bayesian total-evidence phylogenetic inference

“…In addition to O. Borowiec, Schulz, Alpert &Baňar, 2011 andLeptanilla revelierii Emery, 1870 were represented in this study by workers alone. The latter was included on account of its status as the type species of that genus: regardless of future systematic revision to the Leptanillinae, the concept of the genus Leptanilla will not exclude this species.…”

“…Contrasting with the alate condition observed in most ants, queens described from the tribe Leptanillini are completely wingless and blind (Emery 1870;Kutter 1948;Masuko 1990;López et al 1994;Ogata et al 1995), meaning that these are no more likely to be collected than corresponding workers. Queens belonging to other leptanilline lineages (Opamyrma and Anomalomyrmini) are alate so far as is known (Bolton 1990;Baroni Urbani & de Andrade 2008;Borowiec et al 2011;Chen et al 2017;Hsu et al 2017;Man et al 2017), save for an apparent record of queen polyphenism in an undescribed Protanilla Taylor, 1990(Billen et al 2013, but are infrequently collected.…”

“…1995), meaning that these are no more likely to be collected than corresponding workers. Queens belonging to other leptanilline lineages ( Opamyrma and the Anomalomyrmini) are alate so far as is known (Bolton 1990; Baroni Urbani & de Andrade 2008; Borowiec et al . 2011; Chen et al .…”

A synoptic review of the ant genera (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the Philippines

“…The worker caste of this enigmatic genus was recently discovered and described, including Anomalomyrma helenae Borowiec, Schulz, Alpert & Baňař, 2011 from northern Palawan Island ( Borowiec et al 2011 ). These tiny subterranean ants have a petiole and postpetiole whose tergites and sternites are fused to form rigid tubes, a unique morphology among ants.…”