Camponotus bevohitra 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 : 107-108

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Formicidae

Camponotus bevohitra Rakotonirina, Csosz & Fisher sp. n. Figures 9B, 21, 36

Holotype worker.

Madagascar, Province Antananarivo, Réserve Spéciale d’Ambohitantely, Forêt d Ambohitantely, 20.9 km 72° NE d Ankazobe, -18.22528, 47.28683, 1410 m, montane rainforest, ex dead twig above ground, 17-22 Apr 2001 (Fisher, Griswold et al.) collection code: BLF03727 specimen code: CASENT0437247 (CASC).

Paratype. 10 workers with same data as holotype but with the following specimen codes: CASENT0437237, CASENT0437238, CASENT0437239, CASENT0437240, CASENT0437241, CASENT0437243, CASENT0437244, CASENT0437245, CASENT0437246, CASENT0437248, (BMNH, MHNG, MNHN, MSNG, CASC).

Additional material examined.

MADAGASCAR: Province Antananarivo: Forêt de galerie, Andranorovitra, 24.0 km NNE Ankazobe, -18.11243, 47.19757, 1491 m, disturbed gallery montane forest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) (CASC); Réserve Naturelle Sohisika, Sohisika 24.6 km NNE Ankazobe, -18.10322, 47.18692, 1464 m, gallery montane forest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) (CASC); Réserve Spéciale Ambohitantely, Forêt d Ambohitantely, 20.9 km 72° NE d Ankazobe, -18.22528, 47.28683, 1410 m, montane rainforest, (Fisher, Griswold et al.) (CASC); Province Fianarantsoa: Forêt d’Atsirakambiaty, 7.6 km 285° WNW Itremo, -20.59333, 46.56333, 1550 m, montane rainforest (Fisher, Griswold et al.) (CASC).

Diagnosis.

Anterior margin of petiolar node convex and posterior margin more or less straight; propodeal spiracle placed anterior to posterolateral margin of propodeum; head and mesosoma black to dark brown, gaster and appendages dark brown to yellow or depigmented yellow; cervical shield joining pronotal dorsum directly; junction of dorsal face to lateral face of propodeum without sharp carina, posterolateral margin rounded; in profile mesopleuron much wider than lateral portion of propodeum; erect hairs lacking on propodeal dorsum.

Description.

Minor worker (Fig. 9B). In full-face view head weakly longer than broad (CWb/CL: 0.78-0.85), posterior margin broadly convex; sides almost straight, their junction to posterior border concealed by eyes. Eyes large (EL/CS: 0.27-0.32) and strongly protruding, occupying roughly one third the side of head; level of posterior ocular margin at posterior fifth portion of head (PoOc/CL: 0.18-0.21). Anteromedian margin of clypeus straight; posteromedian margin slightly notched. Mandible subtriangular, armed with six teeth. Antennal scape relatively long (SL/CS: 0.905-1.109), more than apical third portion extending beyond posterior cephalic border. Promesonotal dorsum flattened; anterodorsal angle of pronotum and dorsolateral por tion of mesosoma bluntly marginate; posterolateral margin of propodeum rounding to declivitous surface. In dorsal view, mesonotum as long as broad, but sides converging posteriorly; mesonotum and propodeum laterally compressed at their junction; metanotal groove vestigial, represented by a transverse line. In lateral view, width of mesopleuron at the level of spiracle much wider than lateral portion of propodeum. Propodeal dorsum inclined posteriorly and rounding to declivitous margin; propodeal spiracle located anterior to posterolateral border of propodeum. Maximum width of coxa of foreleg as broad as meso-metapleuron width. In lateral view, petiolar node scale-like; anterior margin slightly convex and posterior margin more or less straight; dorsal margin straight or medially angulate. Junction between abdominal segments III and IV without constriction.

Dorsum of head, mesosoma shining with imbricate sculpture; gaster finely imbricate. Mandible coriarious-puncticulate. Few erect hairs on clypeus and gastral tergites; one pair each near margin of frontal carina, on posterior cephalic portion, and on mesonotum. Erect hairs lacking from pronotum, propodeum, and petiolar node. Pubescence very scarce. Head, mesosoma, and petiole black to dark brown; gaster, mandible, antenna, coxa, and tarsus dark brown to brown; remainder of legs yellow.

Major worker (Fig. 21). With characteristics of minor worker with the exception of the following features: posterior margin of head straight and rounding to lateral margins; apical sixth portion of antennal scape surpassing posterior cephalic border (SL/CS: 0.753-0.852); metanotum visible between mesonotum and propodeum; sparse shallow punctures present laterally on head from level of anterior ocular margins and clypeus to base of mandible.

Distribution and biology.

The distribution of Camponotus bevohitra is limited to montane rainforest habitats in the central high plateau of Madagascar (Fig. 36). Specimens have been collected foraging on lower vegetation. The species nests in dead twigs or branches above the ground.

Discussion.

See discussion of species differentiation under Camponotus androy . In the present study, the definition of Camponotus bevohitra based on both qualitative morphological analysis and morphometrics is congruent. The grouping shown by the morphometric dendrogram and confirmed by cumulative LDA at 100% success supports the existence of the species.