Leptanillinae is a subfamily of ants. They are further divided into the tribes Anomalomyrmini and Leptanillini.
Leptanillinae | |
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Leptanilla swani female and worker | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Leptanillinae Emery, 1910 |
Type genus | |
Leptanilla Emery, 1870
| |
Diversity[1] | |
6 genera (50-60 species) |
In all Leptanillini, the larvae feed their hemolymph to the queen through specialized processes on their prothoraces and third abdominal segments.[2] This behavior resembles that of the unrelated Adetomyrma, also called Dracula ants, which pierce their larvae to obtain body fluids.[citation needed]
At least Leptanilla and Phaulomyrma are minute, yellow, blind ants that live below the surface.[citation needed]
The Leptanillinae are mainly spread out in tropical and warm temperate regions in Europe and Australian regions.[3]
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