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| Leptanilla voldemort Wong & McRae, 2024 |
Abstract
The genus Leptanilla Emery, 1870 of the family Formicidae, subfamily Leptanillinae, comprises miniscule, pale, blind ants that are rarely collected and poorly understood due to their hypogaeic (i.e. underground) lifestyles. Here we describe a new Leptanilla species from two workers collected via subterranean scraping in the arid Pilbara region of Western Australia. Leptanilla voldemort sp. nov. is the second leptanilline species documented in Australia after the elusive Leptanilla swani Wheeler, 1932. Workers of L. voldemort sp. nov. display a remarkably gracile morphology characterised by elongated legs, antennae, and mandibles, and they are easily differentiated from other Leptanilla species. We also provide new measurements for L. swani from two workers found proximally to the type locality of L. voldemort sp. nov. A key to the worker caste of Leptanilla species of the Australian continent is presented.
Key words: Australia, hypogaeic, Leptanilla, Milieu Souterrain Superficiel, subterranean
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| Full-face view of Leptanilla voldemort sp. nov. (holotype) from Western Australia. |
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| Profile view and Dorsal view of Leptanilla voldemort sp. nov. (holotype) from Western Australia. The postpetiole and gaster of the specimen, which were disconnected from the main body during mounting, were imaged separately and subsequently attached to the body digitally while ensuring consistency of scale. |
Leptanilla voldemort Wong & McRae, sp. nov.
Etymology: The species epithet pays tribute to the antagonist in the Harry Potter book series, Lord Voldemort, a terrifying wizard who, like the new ant, is slender, pale, and thrives in darkness. The species epithet is a noun, and thus invariant.
Distribution: Only known from the type locality within the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Mark K. L. Wong and Jane M. McRae. 2024. Leptanilla (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the Pilbara, with A Key to Australian Leptanilla. ZooKeys. 1197: 171-182. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1197.114072
