Leptogenys laozii

Leptogenys laozii (lat.) - a species of ants ( Formicidae ) of the genus Leptogenys from the subfamily Ponerinae . China , Yunnan . Small ants are brownish-black in color (TL 4.5-5.0 mm), legs, antennae and clypeus, and mandibles are lighter (reddish-brown). Eyes are large, located in the anterolateral parts of the head. The mandibles are elongated, closed, touching the clypeus (without a gap between them), with 1 apical tooth on the chewing edge, the inner edge without teeth. The head is elongated (CI: 63-67). The antennae has a long scape that exceeds the occipital margin of the head (SI: 152-160). The body is punctured. Antennae 12-segmented. The mandibular palps are 4-segmented, the lower labial palps are composed of 4 segments. The stalk consists of one segment ( petiol ). The species was first described in 2000 by Chinese worldmecologist Xu Zhenhui (Dr. Zhenghui Xu , Faculty of Conservation Biology, Southwest Forestry College , Kunming , Yunnan , China ) and named after the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu (老子, Lǎo Zǐ). This species is similar to Leptogenys confucii , differing in the shape of the breast (flattened at the methanotic suture) and the densely punctured head, chest and petiol, dark in color ^{[1] [2] [3]} .