Camponotus mainty Rakotonina & Fisher, 2018

Rakotonirina, Jean Claude & Fisher, Brian L., 2018, Taxonomic revision of the Malagasy Camponotus subgenus Mayria (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using qualitative and quantitative morphology, Zootaxa 4438 (1), pp. 1-58 : 41-43

Camponotus mainty Rakotonina & Fisher sp. n.

( Figures 12B , 13B , 28 , 36 )

Holotype worker. Madagascar: Province Toamasina, Montagne d'Anjanaharibe, 19.5 km 27° NNE Ambinanitelo, -15.17833, 49.635, 1100 m, ex rotten log, montane rainforest, 12–16 Mar 2003 (Fisher, Griswold et al.) collection code: BLF08192, specimen code: CASENT0497845 ( CASC).

Paratypes. 6 minor and 8 major workers with same data as holotype but with specimen codes: minors: CASENT0497841, CASENT0497844, CASENT0804669, CASENT0804670, CASENT0804671, CASENT0804672; majors: CASENT0497842, CASENT0497843, CASENT0804673, CASENT0804674, CASENT0804675, CASENT0804676, CASENT0804677, CASENT0804678 ( CASC, BMNH, MHNG, PBZT).

Diagnosis. Median portion of clypeus without longitudinal carina; mandible with six teeth; anteromedian margin of clypeus not bordered by a lamella; in lateral view, mesosoma long and low, its dorsal outline not a domelike structure; propodeal declivity inclined anteriorly and not perpendicular to ventral face of propodeum; petiolar node more or less flattened anteroposteriorly; body entirely or mostly black to reddish-black; appendages reddishblack or dark brown.

Description. Minor worker. In full-view, head elongate, lateral margin straight and diverging posteriorly, rounding to the slightly convex posterior margin. Anterior clypeal margin straight, rounding to lateral margin; median longitudinal carina absent. Eyes either breaking the lateral outlines of head or not, their posterior margins located well behind the mid-length of the head (PoOc/CL: 0.30±0.03; 0.23–0.36). Mandible triangular, masticatory margin with six teeth. Antennal scape long, roughly its distal half surpassing posterior cephalic border. In lateral view, pronotum slightly convex, mesonotum and propodeal dorsum straight and elongate, joining declivity surface at broad angle. Propodeal dorsum roughly three times as long as height of declivity; propodeal spiracle round. Petiolar node higher than long, junction of dorsal margin to anterior face rounded and angulate to posterior face.

Dorsum of head covered with numerous whitish, elongate erect hairs; pronotum, mesonotum and junction of propodeal dorsum and declivity with a pair of erect hairs; pubescence short and sparse on dorsum of body; petiolar node with at least two pairs of erect hairs on its posterodorsal margin. Body and appendages entirely black, or head, mesosoma, and gaster black and legs with funicular segments reddish-brown.

Major worker. Differing from minor worker in the following characters: enlarged head with markedly concave posterior margin; apical fourth of antennal scape surpassing posterior cephalic margin; robust mesosoma, with pronotum and mesonotum convex, metanotum distinct, propodeal dorsum straight and forming broad angle with declivity and twice as long as height of declivity; petiolar node tapering dorsally.

Discussion. Camponotus mainty can be confused with C. maculiventris and with C. foersteri , but in both latter species the trochanter and the distal portion of the coxa is yellowish to white in color and also the petiolar node is not flattened anteroposteriorly, but its dorsal margin is distinctly broadly convex. Camponotus christi can be separable from C. mainty by the yellow to light brown color of its body.

The species definition for C. mainty is supported by the congruence between the results of traditional qualitative morphology and the NC-clustering technique combined with the partitioning method. However, identification success is only 96.97%, because its one minor worker is misclassified as C. foersteri by the LDA. This suggests that the entire range of minor worker forms of these species might not have been measured, and both species are closely related and have similar quantitative and qualitative morphology. In addition, one minor worker of C. foersteri is misclassified as C. mainty by the cumulative LDA, confirming their close morphological similarity. The two are distinguished by morphological traits not easily incorporated into the morphometric approach. The legs of C. mainty are entirely black to dark brown and its petiolar node is higher than long whereas in C. foersteri the trochanter and the distal portion of the coxa is yellowish to white and its petiolar node is at least as long as high.

Distribution and biology. Camponotus mainty is an endemic species of Madagascar, generally distributed in the mountainous regions of the northeast and southeast, as well as the central high plateau of the island. This species is known to nest frequently in rotten logs and rotting tree stumps and rarely in root mats in the ground layer. Foraging occurs on the ground and on lower vegetation.

Additional material examined. Province Antananarivo: 25 km NNE Ankazobe , 1500 m, -18.1, 47.18333, rainforest, (P.S. Ward) ( PSWC) ; Station Forestière Manjakatompo , 1600 m, -19.35, 47.31667, montane rainforest, (P.S. Ward) ( PSWC) ; Province Antsiranana: Parc National de Marojejy , 25.4 km 30° NNE Andapa, 10.9 km 311° NW Manantenina, 2000 m, -14.445, 49.735, montane shrubland, (B.L. Fisher) ( CASC) ; Parc National de Marojejy, Antranohofa , 26.6 km 31° NNE Andapa, 10.7 km 318° NW Manantenina, 1325 m, -14.44333, 49.74333, montane rainforest, (B.L. Fisher) ( CASC) ; Prov. Antsiranana Réserve Spéciale Manongarivo 17.3 km 218° SW Antanambao , 1580 m, -14.02167, 48.41833, montane rainforest, (B.L. Fisher) ( CASC) ; Réserve Spéciale Manongarivo , 20.4 km 219° SW Antanambao, 1860 m, -14.04667, 48.40167, montane rainforest, (B.L. Fisher) ( CASC) ; Province Fianarantsoa: 29 km SSW Ambositra, Ankazomivady , 1700 m, -20.77667, 47.165, Border of disturbed forest, (H.G.Robertson) ( CASC) ; Belle Vue trail, Ranomafana National Park , Fianarantsoa Prov., 1020 m, -21.2665, 47.42017, mixed tropical forest, (R. Harin'Hala) ( CASC) ; Fitovavy Fitovinany Region, District of Ifanadiana , 12 km W of Ranomafana, 1127 m, -21.25083, 47.40717, forest edge, open area, (Rin'ha, Mike) ( CASC) ; Forêt d'Atsirakambiaty , 7.6 km 285° WNW Itremo, 1550 m, -20.59333, 46.56333, montane rainforest, (Fisher, Griswold et al.) ( CASC) ; JIRAMA water works near river, Ranomafana National Park , Fianarantsoa Prov., 690 m, -21.2485, 47.45217, open area near stream, (R. Harin'Hala) ( CASC) ; Parc National Befotaka-Midongy, Papango 28.5 km S Midongy-Sud, Mount Papango , 1250 m, -23.84083, 46.9575, montane rainforest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CASC) ; Parc National de Ranomafana, Vatoharanana River , 4.1 km 231° SW Ranomafana, 1100 m, -21.29, 47.43333, montane rainforest, (Fisher, Griswold et al.) ( CASC) ; radio tower, Ranomafana National Park , Fianarantsoa Prov., 1130 m, -21.25083, 47.40717, forest edge, mixed tropical forest, open area, (M. Irwin, R. Harin'Hala) ( CASC) ; Vohiparara broken bridge, Fianarantsoa Prov., 1110 m, -21.22617, 47.36983, high altitude rainforest, (R. Harin'Hala) ( CASC) ; Province Toamasina: Réserve Spéciale Ambatovaky, Sandrangato river , 355 m, -16.77468, 49.26551, ( CASC) ; Réserve Spéciale Ambatovaky, Sandrangato river , 430 m, -16.7755, 49.26427, ( CASC) ; Réserve Spéciale Ambatovaky, Sandrangato river , 360 m, -16.81753, 49.29498, beating low vegetation, ( CASC) ; Ambalahasina , 62.4 km 19° Toamasina, 15 m, -17.59452, 49.46785, coastal scrub, (B. Blaimer, F.N. Raharimalala) ( CASC) ; Montagne d'Anjanaharibe , 19.5 km 27° NNE Ambinanitelo, 1100 m, -15.17833, 49.635, montane rainforest, (Fisher, Griswold et al.) ( CASC) ; Province Toliara: Forêt Ivohibe , 55.0 km N Tolagnaro, 200 m, -24.569, 47.204, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CASC) ; Parc National d'Andohahela, Col du Sedro, 3.8 km 113° ESE Mahamavo, 37.6 km 341° NNW Tolagnaro , 900 m, -24.76389, 46.75167, montane rainforest, (Fisher- Griswold Arthropod Team) ( CASC) ; 1 km NE Ambalavao , nr. Antananarivo, 1350 m, -19.08333, 47.53333, roadside, (P.S. Ward) ( CASC) .

Figures

FIGURE 12. Head, mesosoma and petiolar node in lateral view. A: C. christi (CASENT0129791). B: C. mainty (CASENT0487002). C: C. foersteri (CASENT0179450).

FIGURE 13. Head, mesosoma, petiolar node and part of the first gastral segment in lateral view. A: C. christi (CASENT0129791). B: C. mainty (CASENT0497845).

FIGURE 28. Camponotus mainty minor worker CASENT0497845. A: lateral view. B: head in full-face view. C: dorsal view.

FIGURES 35–42. Distribution maps of Camponotus subgenus Mayria in Madagascar. Fig. 35: C. maculiventris, Fig. 36: C. mainty, Fig. 37: C. manabo, Fig. 38: C. pulcher, Fig. 39: C. raina, Fig. 40: C. repens, Fig. 41: C. sada, Fig. 42: C. tanosy.