Camponotus matsilo 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 : 119-122

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Formicidae

Camponotus matsilo Rakotonirina, Csosz & Fisher sp. n. Figures 12A, 26, 41

Holotype worker.

Madagascar, Province Toliara, Forêt Vohidava 88.9 km N Amboasary, -24.24067, 46.28783, 500 m, spiny forest/dry forest transition, ex dead twig above ground, 7 Dec 2006 (B.L. Fisher et al.) collection code BLF15725, specimen code CASENT0121843 (CASC).

Paratypes.

1 worker with same data as holotype but specimen coded as CASENT0178919 (CASC).

Additional material examined.

MADAGASCAR: Province Toliara: Forêt Vohidava 88.9 km N Amboasary, -24.24067, 46.28783, 500 m, spiny forest/dry forest transition, (B.L. Fisher et al.) (CASC); Parc National d’Andohahela, Forêt d’Ambohibory, 1.7 km 61° ENE Tsimelahy, 36.1 km 308° NW Tolagnaro, -24.93 46.6455, 300 m, tropical dry forest, (Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team) (CASC); Parc National d’Andohahela, Forêt de Manatalinjo, 33.6 km 63° ENE Amboasary, 7.6 km 99° E Hazofotsy, -24.81694, 46.61, 150 m, spiny forest/thicket, (Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team) (CASC); Parc National de Zombitse, 19.8 km 84° E Sakaraha, -22.84333, 44.71, 770 m, tropical dry forest, (Fisher, Griswold et al.) (CASC); Réserve Spéciale de Cap Sainte Marie, 14.9 km 261° W Marovato, -25.59444, 45.14683, 160 m, spiny forest/thicket, (Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team) (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 surface together distinctly wider than lateral portion of pronotum; in profile, dorsolateral carina of propodeum much longer than its posterolateral margin.

Description.

Minor worker (Figs 12A, 26). In full-face view head slightly longer than broad (CWb/CL: 0.88-0.94), lateral margins weakly convex and converging anteriorly; posterior margin feebly convex. Eyes located more on posterior portion of head (PoOc/CL: 0.18-0.23), posterior level of eyes at posterior fifth of head. Anteromedian margin of clypeus triangular; posterior margin weakly notched medially. Mandible triangular, masticatory margin armed with six teeth. Antennal scape short (SL/CS: 0.87-0.94), apical third portion roughly surpassing posterior margin of head. Pronotum flat dorsally, anterodorsal margin projecting anteriorly into narrow ridge; dorsum and sides of promesonotum separated by margination. In dorsal view, mesonotum narrow, less than twice as broad as long. In profile, mesopleuron and lateral propodeal face together distinctly longer than lateral portion of pronotum; propodeal dorsum and declivitous surface separated by blunt angle. In profile, dorsolateral carina of propodeum much longer than declivity. Maximum width of procoxa larger than width of meso-metapleuron. In profile, anterior margin of petiolar node convex and posterior margin either convex or roughly triangular; propodeal spiracle located on declivitous surface or at posterolateral margin of the propodeum.

Dorsum of head and mesosoma finely and densely reticulate punctate. Gastral segments covered with fine and dense reticulation. Mandible finely and densely reticulate superimposed with scattered large punctures. Whitish erect hairs: several pairs of on dorsum of head; absent on pronotum, one pair on mesonotum, few pairs near dorsolateral margin of propodeum and at junction of dorsum and declivity, arranged on posterior face of petiolar node near lateral margins; organized transversely on anterior and posterior portions of each gastral tergite. Pubescence not abundant. Head, mesosoma, and petiole black; gaster dark brown; basal portion of antenna light brown to yellow and apical portion dark brown; trochanter to tip of tarsi light brown to yellow.

Major worker. With characteristics of minor worker, except: head much more subquadrate (CWb/CL: 0.96); eyes located roughly on posterior third of head capsule (PoOc/CL: 0.28-0.29); antennal scape not extending beyond posterior cephalic margin; inclination of propodeal dorsum much more vertical in profile. Head capsule microreticulate superimposed with scattered punctures in the anterior portion from the anterior level of eyes to base of mandibles. Mandibles smooth and shiny between sparse punctures. Two pairs of whitish erect hairs aligned at about the same level on posterior portion of head behind posterior level of eyes; three to four pairs on pronotum and five pairs on mesonotum. Mandible color much darker than other appendages.

Distribution and biology.

Occurring in the south of Madagascar, the distribution of Camponotus matsilo is ranging from the dry forest habitats of the PN Zombitse and the PN Andohahela through the transitional spiny forest of Vohidava to the spiny bush and thicket of Cap Sainte Marie in the extreme south (Fig. 41). In these habitats, the species mostly forages on low vegetation and its colonies are found frequently in dead twigs above ground.

Discussion.

Camponotus matsilo can be easily separated from other species by the fact that its propodeal dorsum is distinctly longer than its propodeal declivity in lateral view.

The qualitative morphology-based study of this species agrees with the multivariate morphometric analysis to support the taxonomic determination for Camponotus matsilo .