TAXA (also search by using taxonomy search bar in header)
Leptogenys falcigera Roger 1861
Nomenclature
SUMMARY
Little is known about the biology of L. falcigera. It occurs mainly in low elevation sites on Hawaii (Reimer, 1994), and the average elevation for specimen collections included in Antweb (mostly from Madagascar) is 59 m. Colonies are mostly limited to fewer than 50 workers (Reimer, 1994). Like most of its congeners the queens of L. falcigera are ergatoid and wingless, and males are relatively uncommon. Specimen records from Palau and Madagascar indicate the species nests in rotting logs and cavities both on and above ground, and mostly solitary workers forage on both strata as well. Many collections were made from sifted leaf litter. Kirschenbaum & Grace (2008)report the species fed mainly on live isopods (which is true for many Leptogenys) and also took 25% sucrose solution. Their study demonstrated that L. falcigera is not an aggressive species, and has a strong capacity for surviving encounters with more dominant ants. In Hawaii, the species is thought to exert little impact on native species on account of its small colony sizes and uncommonness in habitats frequented by native invertebrates.