Leptanillinae

Leptanillinae is a subfamily of primitive ants consisting of three genera.

Leptanillinae
Leptanilla swani gyne and worker
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Leptanillinae Emery, 1910
Type genus
Leptanilla Emery, 1870
Diversity[1]
3 genera (50-60 species)

Ants of this subfamily have larvae that feed their hemolymph to the queen through specialized processes on their prothoraces and third abdominal segments.^[2] This behavior resembles that of the distantly related Adetomyrma, also called the Dracula ant, which pierces their larvae to obtain body fluids.^{[citation needed]}

Members of Leptanilla are minute, yellow, blind ants that live below the surface.^{[citation needed]}

Distribution

The Leptanillinae are mainly spread out in tropical and warm temperate regions in Europe and Australian regions.^[3]

Subdivisions

• Leptanillini Emery, 1910
  • Leptanilla Emery, 1870
  • Protanilla Taylor, 1990
• Opamyrmini Boudinot & Griebenow, 2024
  • Opamyrma Yamane et al, 2008