Camponotus daraina, Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022

Rakotonirina, Jean Claude & Fisher, Brian L., 2022, Revision of the Malagasy Camponotus subgenus Myrmosaga (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using qualitative and quantitative morphology, ZooKeys 1098, pp. 1-180 : 1

Camponotus daraina sp. nov.

Figs 14A , 51

Holotype worker.

Madagascar: Province Antsiranana: Forêt de Binara, 9.1 km 233° SW Daraina, -13.26333, 49.60333, 725 m, rainforest, ex rotten log, 03 Dec 2003 (B.L. Fisher et al.) collection code: BLF09678, specimen code: CASENT0077433 ( CAS).

Paratypes.

1 major worker of same data as holotype but with specimen code: CASENT0809930 and 5 minor workers of collection code BLF09664 and the following specimen codes: CASENT0077671, CASENT0835653, CASENT0077673, CASENT0077670, CASENT0077673 ( NHMUK, MHNG, MSNG, PBZT, CAS).

Additional material examined.

Madagascar: Antsiranana: Forêt Ambanitaza, 26.1 km 347° Antalaha, -14.67933, 50.18367, 240 m, rainforest (B.L. Fisher) ( CAS); Forêt d’Antsahabe, 11.4 km 275° W Daraina, -13.21167, 49.55667, 550 m, tropical dry forest (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CAS); Foret de Binara , 9.1 km 233° SW Daraina, -13.26333, 49.60333, 650-800 m, rainforest (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CAS); RS Manongarivo, 12.8 km 228° SW Antanambao, -13.97667, 48.42333, 780 m, rainforest (B.L. Fisher) ( CAS); PN Montagne d’Ambre [1st campsite], 960 m, rainforest (R. Harin’Hala) ( CAS) .

Diagnosis.

In full-face view, lateral cephalic margins converge posteriorly towards eye level, area posterior to eye level covered with erect hairs; two apical teeth of mandible closely spaced; body color reddish orange.

Description.

Minor worker. With head in full-face view, lateral borders gradually converge to anterior eye level, strongly converging behind eye level; eyes protruding and large (EL/CS: 0.28 ± 0.01; 0.26-0.30), interrupting lateral cephalic border, level of its anterior margin located at posterior 1/3 of head (PoOc/CL: 0.29 ± 0.01; 0.28-0.30); frontal carinae not widely opened posteriorly (FR/CS: 0.25 ± 0.001; 0.24, 0.26), distance between them larger than smallest distance to eye; clypeus without well-defined anterolateral angle and with anteromedian margin broadly convex; mandible with two apical teeth closely placed; antennal scape relatively long (SL/CS: 1.72 ± 0.06; 1.56-1.82). Promesonotum weakly convex, mesonotum posterior portion flat immediately anterior to weakly visible metanotal groove; propodeal dorsum almost straight, rounding to short declivity 1/2 length of propodeal dorsum. Petiolar node is short and high, with dorsal margin inclining posteriorly and forming a blunt angle with anterior face that has a height ca. 1/2 that of posterior face; femur of hind leg axially rounded, not twisted near base.

First and second gastral tergites without a pair of white spots; head covered with erect hairs on lateral margin, six erect hairs near its posterior margin; antennal scape covered with suberect hairs inclined ca. 30°; pronotum and anterior part of mesonotum covered with erect hairs; posterodorsal angle of propodeum with two pairs of erect hairs.

Major worker. Differing from minor worker in the following characters: enlarged head (CS: 13.54 ± 0.25; 3.12-3.76; CWb/CL: 0.90 ± 0.04; 0.85-0.94) with markedly concave posterior margin; apical 1/4 of antennal scape surpassing posterior margin of head; two apical teeth of mandible distantly spaced; robust mesosoma, with promesonotum forming even convexity, metanotum distinctly visible, propodeal dorsum slightly convex immediately behind metanotum, joining declivity surface at a blunt angle, < 2 × as long as declivity; petiolar node much higher and more compressed anteroposteriorly.

Distribution and biology.

The distribution of C. daraina is generally limited to the northern and western slopes of Madagascar. The species occurs in dry forest habitats, transitional forests, and rainforests of the Daraina region, transitional forests of Montagne d’Ambre and the Ampasindava Peninsula, and rainforests of RS Manongarivo (Fig. 51D ). Camponotus daraina is strictly terrestrial; its workers forage mainly on the forest floor and through leaf litter, while its nests have been found in rotten logs and under stones.

Discussion.

Camponotus daraina looks similar to C. bemaheva and C. roeseli but C. bemaheva lacks erect hairs from the lateral margin of the head posterior to the eye level and in C. roeseli the integument is either entirely reddish black or the head and the gaster are reddish black and the mesosoma is yellowish orange to reddish orange.

The identification of C. daraina based on conventional morphology-based taxonomy has been confirmed by multivariate morphometrics. The grouping of the samples of C. daraina produced by the NC-clustering method is corroborated by LDA with a classification success of 100%.

Etymology.

The species name daraina is a singular non-Latin noun used in apposition and refers to the type locality.

Figures

Figure 14. Body in lateral view A C. daraina (CASENT 0077433) B C. roeseli (CASENT 0492473).

Figure 51. Camponotus daraina A lateral view B head in full-face view C dorsal view of holotype minor worker CASENT 0077433 D distribution map.