Camponotus tafo Rakotonirina, Csosz & Fisher

Rakotonirina, Jean Claude, Csosz, Sandor & Fisher, Brian L., 2016, Revision of the Malagasy Camponotusedmondi species group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Formicinae): integrating qualitative morphology and multivariate morphometric analysis, ZooKeys 572, pp. 81-154 : 129-133

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Formicidae

Camponotus tafo Rakotonirina, Csosz & Fisher sp. n. Figures 10D, 13A, 16B, 30, 45

Holotype worker.

Madagascar, Toamasina Parc National de Masoala, 39.4 km 150° SSE Maroantsetra, -15.71, 49.97, 200 m, rainforest, canopy moss and leaf litter, 28 Nov-3 Dec 2001 (B.L. Fisher, H.J. Ratsirarson) collection code BLF04700 specimen code CASENT0763608 (CASC).

Paratypes.

4 workers same data as holotype but with specimen codes: CASENT0418183, CASENT0418184, CASENT0746968, CASENT0746969 (BMNH, MHNG, CASC).

Additional material examined.

MADAGASCAR: Province Toamasina: Ankerana Forest, -18.40829, 48.82107, 750 m, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) (CASC); Parc National Masoala, 39.4 km 150° SSE Maroantsetra, -15.71, 49.97, 200 m, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher, H.J. Ratsirarson) (CASC).

Diagnosis.

In profile, anterior and posterior margins of petiolar node convex; in profile, propodeal dorsum and declivitous surface separated by blunt angle; in dorsal view, mesonotum less than twice as broad as long; mesopleuron with propodeal sur face together distinctly wider than lateral portion of pronotum; in profile, propodeal dorsum roughly as long as declivitous margin; dorsum of head and mesosoma densely and finely reticulate punctate; erect hairs lacking on dorsum of pronotum; distance between meso-metapleural suture and dorsolateral margin of propodeum largest near the junction of dorsolateral carina to declivitous surface; in dorsal view, lateral margins of mesonotum convex and strongly converging posteriorly; width of propodeum at metanotal groove greater than half the maximum width of mesonotum; in full-face view, anteromedian margin of clypeus triangular.

Description.

Minor worker (Figs 10D, 13A, 16B, 30). In full-face view head about as long as wide (CWb/CL: 0.91-0.97), lateral margins roughly straight and slightly converging anteriorly; posterior margin broadly convex. Eyes located on posterior fifth portion of head (PoOc/CL: 0.19-0.22). Anteromedian margin of clypeus triangular; posterior margin weakly notched medially. Mandible triangular, apical margin armed with six teeth reducing in size towards basal angle of mandible. Antennal scape long, roughly the apical half of its length surpassing posterior cephalic margin. Pronotum flat dorsally, anterodorsal margin projecting anteriorly into narrow ridge; dorsum and sides of promesonotum separated by margination. In dorsal view, mesonotum less than twice as broad as long, posterodorsal corner rounded. In lateral view, propodeum not strongly compressed anteroposteriorly; propodeal dorsum strongly sloping posteriorly; junction to declivity marked by blunt angle; in dorsal view, mesonotum longitudinally narrow, less than twice as broad as long; width of meso-metapleuron and side of propodeum together distinctly much greater than width of side of pronotum; dorsolateral portion of propodeum bluntly marginate; propodeal spiracle located on declivitous surface. Maximum width of coxa of foreleg larger than width of meso-metapleuron. In profile, anterior face of petiolar node convex, posterior face sloping posteriorly and then descending vertically to posteroventral angle. Constriction between abdominal segments III and IV absent.

Dorsum of head and mesosoma finely and densely reticulate punctate. Imbricate sculpture on gastral tergites. Mandible finely and densely reticulate superimposed with scattered large punctures. Pronotum without whitish hairs; few pairs present on head dorsum from clypeus, and edge of frontal lobe to posterior portion of head; one pair on mesonotum; several pairs scattered on propodeal dorsum; petiolar node with whitish hairs arranged near lateral and dorsal borders of posterior face; scattered and much shorter erect hairs organized transversely on anterior and posterior portions of each gastral tergite; pubescence reduced. Body color black; antenna brown basally and dark brown apically; femur and tibia dark brown, trochanter and tarsi light brown.

Major worker. Unknown.

Distribution and biology.

This species is known from the rainforest of Ankerana and the PN Masoala (Fig. 45). In Masoala, individual workers have been collected only from the moss and leaf litter of the canopy while at Ankerana one worker was collected from a Malaise trap, suggesting a preference for canopy microhabitat.

Discussion.

Camponotus tafo is very similar to Camponotus edmondi , but the latter is characterized by a mesonotum with lateral margins that are roughly straight and gradually converge posteriorly in dorsal view. In Camponotus edmondi , the width of the propodeum at the metanotal groove is less than half the maximum width of the mesonotum; with head in full-face view, anteromedian margin of clypeus is truncate.

From the NC-clustering dendrogram, Camponotus tafo includes one sample of Camponotus varatra and Camponotus zavo , indicating that they are morphologically similar species. However, the confirmatory LDA successfully classified Camponotus tafo at 100%, with no additional samples from other species included. According to the qualitative morphology method, Camponotus varatra and Camponotus zavo can be separated from Camponotus tafo by their sculpture and nesting sites. In the two former species, the dorsum of the head and mesosoma is smooth and shining or imbricate. Their colony nests are built in dead twigs or branches slightly above the forest floor but never in the canopy. Thus, the separation of Camponotus tafo from both species is sustained.