Camponotus maculiventris Emery

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 : 39-41

Camponotus maculiventris Emery

( Figures 7B , 14A , 27 , 35 )

Camponotus christi maculiventris Emery, 1895: 337 , 344 (worker minor, major, dq.). Lectotype minor worker, present designation, Madagascar, Antsiranana (Diego-Suarez), (Alluaud, 1893), AntWeb CASENT0102104 (MSNG). Paralectotypes. 1 minor worker, 2 major workers and 1 dealate queen with same data as lectotype but with specimen codes: CASENT0101539, CASENT0101540 (MHNG); CASENT0102103, CASENT0102105 (dealate queen) (MSNG). [Combination in Camponotus (Myrmosaga) : Wheeler, 1922: 1045; in Camponotus (Mayria) : Emery, 1925: 122; Bolton, 1995: 110].

Diagnosis. Median portion of clypeus without median longitudinal carina; mandible armed with six teeth; anteromedian margin of clypeus not bordered by a lamella; in lateral view, length of posterior portion of propodeal dorsum measured from the end of line connecting anteriormost point of pronotal shield and metathoracic spiracle as long as height of declivity; petiole node not flattened anteroposteriorly, its dorsal margin distinctly broadly convex; body mostly black, legs with at least trochanters and distal portions of coxae yellowish to white; hind tibia shorter than hind femur.

Description. Minor worker. In full-face view, head elongate, lateral margin slightly convex and weakly diverging posteriorly, rounding to a more or less straight posterior margin. Anterior margin of clypeus broadly convex, angle absent between lateral and anteromedian margins; median longitudinal carina lacking. Eyes not breaking lateral outlines of head; their posterior margins located well behind the mid-length of the head (PoOc/CL: 0.32±0.01; 0.29–0.36). Mandible triangular, apical margin with six sharp teeth. Antennal scape long, about its apical half surpassing the posterior cephalic margin. In lateral view, either pronotum, mesonotum, and propodeal dorsum forming even convexity or pronotum and mesonotum forming separate convexity and propodeal dorsum straight, joining declivity surface at a broad angle. Propodeal dorsum about twice as long as height of declivity; height of mesosoma taken from posteroventral corner of pronotum to highest point of mesonotum less than twice the height to level of metathoracic spiracle; propodeal spiracle rounded. Hind tibia shorter than hind femur. Petiolar node as high as long, dorsal margin forming broad angle with anterior and posterior faces.

Dorsum of head covered with numerous yellowish, elongate, erect hairs; pronotum, mesonotum, and posterodorsal angle of propodeum each with a pair of erect hairs; petiolar node with two pairs of erect hairs near its posterodorsal angle; pubescence short and sparse. Head mesosoma, petiole, and gastral segments black to brown and darker in color relative to appendages. Anterior half of second gastral tergite and first three sternites with lighter spot; trochanter and at least distal half of coxa whitish-yellow; femur and tibia whitish-yellow with dark brown spots on proximal and apical portion; tarsus and antennae dark brown basally and lighter in color apically.

Major worker. With characteristics of minor worker, except: enlarged head, with concave posterior margin; apical fourth of antennal scape surpassing posterior cephalic margin; robust mesosoma, metanotum distinctly visible; petiolar node higher than long, its dorsal margin inclined posteriorly from shorter anterior face towards much longer posterior face.

Discussion. Camponotus maculiventris may be difficult to differentiate from C. pulcher in that both species have a short and high mesosoma and lack the median longitudinal carina on the clypeus, the straight propodeal dorsum, and the shape of the petiolar node. But in C. pulcher the anteromedian margin of the clypeus is slightly concave medially, the head is black, abdominal segments 3 and 4 are yellow-orange with remaining segments mostly black, and the mesosoma is reddish-orange. Workers of C. maculiventris can also be confounded with those of C. foersteri and C. mainty , but in C. foersteri the propodeal dorsum is three times as long as the height of the declivity and the hind tibia is as long as hind femur. Members of C. mainty have an entirely black to reddish-black body and legs, and a flattened petiolar node.

Camponotus maculiventris is one of the most widespread species in the subgenus Mayria and shows important morphological variation in the form of the mesosoma, overall body size, and leg color. The variants however cannot be distinguished according to the qualitative morphology-based study and they gradually merge into one another across the distribution of the species. The existence of discrete variants was not supported by the NCclustering and partitioning approaches. The samples from each of the variants are scattered across the C. maculiventris cluster and these samples were correctly identified by LDA at 100% success.

Distribution and biology. Samples for C. maculiventris have been generally recorded from the rainforests of the east and the montane rainforests of the center and east of Madagascar and are occasionally found in the littoral rainforest of the northeast. Along its eastern distribution, the geographic range is from Sakalava Beach in the northernmost to the Parc National Andasibe in the center and down to Anosyenne Montain in the southernmost region. Camponotus maculiventris forages most frequently on lower vegetation and in leaf litter but rarely on the forest floor. Nest series have been collected frequently from dead branches above the ground and rotten logs but occasionally from under stones and root mats in the ground or on rocks.

Additional material examined. Province Antananarivo: Réserve Spéciale d'Ambohitantely , 1580 m, - 18.18762, 47.28576, montane forest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CASC) ; Réserve Spéciale d'Ambohitantely , 1490 m, - 18.22444, 47.2774, montane forest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CASC) ; Province Antsiranana: 6.5 km SSW Befingotra, Réserve Anjanaharibe-Sud , 875 m, -14.75, 49.5, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher) ( CASC) ; Antsiranana II Pref:

Antsahampano S.-Pref: Montagne d'Ambre. Site MD1, 1049 m, -12.52765, 49.17235, in Commelina regrowth on path next to degraded primary riparian rainforest, (D. Lees, R. Ranaivosolo & P. Razafindraibe) (CASC); Forêt de Binara , 9.1 km 233° SW Daraina, 725 m, -13.26333, 49.60333, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher) ( CASC) ; Makirovana forest , 900 m, -14.16506, 49.9477, montane rainforest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CASC) ; Makirovana forest , 715 m, - 14.16666, 49.95, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CASC) ; Parc National de Marojejy, Manantenina River , 27.6 km 35° NE Andapa, 9.6 km 327° NNW Manantenina, 775 m, -14.435, 49.76, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher) ( CASC) ; Parc National Montagne d'Ambre , 3.6 km 235° SW Joffreville, 925 m, -12.53444, 49.1795, montane rainforest, (Fisher, Griswold et al.) ( CASC) ; Prov. Antsiranana Réserve Spéciale Manongarivo 17.3 km 218° SW Antanambao , 1580 m, -14.02167, 48.41833, montane rainforest, (B.L. Fisher) ( CASC) ; 3 km W Sakalava Beach [white dunes site], 40 m, -12.28617, 49.36667, white dunes in littoral forest, (Harin'Hala, Irwin, Schlinger) ( CASC) ; Parc National Montagne d'Ambre [1 st campsite ], 960 m, -12.51444, 49.18139, rainforest, (R. Harin'Hala) ( CASC) ; Sakalava Beach [vegetated beach dunes], 10 m, -12.26278, 49.3975, across sandy trail in dwarf littoral forest, (R. Harin'Hala) ( CASC) ; Province Toamasina: 7 km SE Andasibe National Park Headquarters , 1050 m, -18.96278, 48.45267, tropical forest, (M.E. Irwin, R. Harin'Hala) ( CASC) ; Ambatovy , 12.4 km NE Moramanga, 1080 m, - 18.83937, 48.30842, montane rainforest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CASC) ; Analamay , 1068 m, -18.80623, 48.33707, montane rainforest, (Malagasy ant team) ( CASC) ; Montagne d'Akirindro 7.6 km 341° NNW Ambinanitelo, 600 m, -15.28833, 49.54833, rainforest, (Fisher, Griswold et al.) ( CASC) ; Montagne d'Anjanaharibe, 18.0 km 21° NNE Ambinanitelo , 470 m, -15.18833, 49.615, rainforest, (Fisher, Griswold et al.) ( CASC) ; Montagne d'Anjanaharibe , 19.5 km 27° NNE Ambinanitelo, 1100 m, -15.17833, 49.635, montane rainforest, (Fisher, Griswold et al.) ( CASC) ; Réserve Ambodiriana, 4.8 km 306° Manompana, along Manompana river , 125 m, -16.67233, 49.70117, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CASC) ; Torotorofotsy , 1005 m, -18.77048, 48.43043, montane rainforest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CASC) ; Province Toliara: Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts , 31.2 km NW Manantenina, 1125 m, -24.13894, 47.06804, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher, F.A. Esteves et al.) ( CASC) ; Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts , 31.2 km NW Manantenina, 1315 m, -24.13632, 47.05485, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher, F.A. Esteves et al.) ( CASC) ; Anosy Region, Parc National Andohahela, Col de Tanatana , 400 m, -24.74969, 46.84949, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher, F.A. Esteves et al.) ( CASC) .

Figures

FIGURE 7. Anterior portion of the head in full-face view. A: C. tanosy (CASENT0803890). B: C. maculiventris (CASENT0082042).

FIGURE 14. Mesosoma in lateral view. A: C. maculiventris (CASENT0082042). B: C. foersteri (CASENT0179450).

FIGURE 27. Camponotus maculiventris minor worker CASENT0082042. 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.