Camponotus asara, 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 asara sp. nov.

Figs 27B , 28A , 42

Holotype worker.

Madagascar: Province Toliara: PN Zombitse, 19.8 km 84° E Sakaraha, -22.84333, 44.71, 770 m, tropical dry forest, ex rotten log, 05-09 Feb 2003 (Fisher, Griswold et al.) collection code: BLF07523, specimen code: CASENT0493252 ( CAS).

Paratypes.

3 workers, same data as holotype but with the following specimen codes: CASENT0493251, CASENT0837576, CASENT0837577 ( NHMUK, CAS).

Additional material examined.

Madagascar: Toliara: 15 km E Sakaraha , -22.9, 44.68333, 760 m, tropical dry forest (P.S. Ward) ( CAS); PN Zombitse , 19.8 km 84° E Sakaraha , -22.84333, 44.71, 770 m, tropical dry forest (Fisher, Griswold et al.) ( CAS); RS Ambohijanahary, Forêt d’Ankazotsihitafototra , 34.6 km 314° NW Ambaravaranala , -18.26, 45.41833, 1100 m, montane rainforest (Fisher, Griswold et al.) ( CAS); RS Ambohijanahary, Forêt d’Ankazotsihitafototra , 35.2 km 312° NW Ambaravaranala, -18.26667, 45.40667, 1050 m, montane rainforest (Fisher, Griswold et al.) ( CAS); Southern Isoky-Vohimena Forest, -22.68333, 44.83333, 730 m (Sylvain) ( CAS); Vohibasia Forest , 59 km NE Sakaraha , -22.46667, 44.85, 780 m (Sylvain) ( CAS); PN Zombitse , 19.8 km 84° E Sakaraha, -22.84333, 44.71, 770 m, tropical dry forest (Fisher, Griswold et al.) ( CAS); near ANGAP office, PN Zombitse, -22.8865, 44.69217, 840 m, deciduous spiny forest (R. Harin’Hala) ( CAS); near road, PN Zombitse, -22.8405, 44.73117, 825 m, spiny deciduous forest (R. Harin’Hala) ( CAS) .

Diagnosis.

With head in full-face view, lateral margins of head anterior to eye level, parallel, and lacking erect hairs; lateral cephalic margin rounding to posterior margin; anteromedian clypeal margin continuously forming broad convexity; propodeal dorsum more or less straight and separated from declivity surface by broad angle.

Description.

Minor worker. In full-face view, head sides anterior to level of eye parallel, converging progressively to posterior margin behind eye level; eyes protruding and large (EL/CL: 0.26 ± 0.01; 0.23-0.28), breaking lateral cephalic margin, level of its posterior border approximately located at posterior 1/4 of head (PoOc/CS: 0.26 ± 0.01; 0.24-0.28); frontal carinae posteriorly parallel (FR/CS: 0.26 ± 0.01; 0.23-0.27); clypeus without well-defined anterolateral angle, its anteromedian margin broadly convex; mandible with six teeth, the two apical teeth distantly spaced; antennal scape relatively long (SL/CS: 1.57 ± 0.08; 1.38-1.68). Promesonotum weakly convex, mesopropodeum almost flat; mesonotum flat immediately anterior to weakly visible metanotal groove; propodeal dorsum approximately straight, rounding progressively towards declivity; propodeal declivity ca. 1/3 length of dorsum. Petiolar node flattened anteroposteriorly or short and high, tapering dorsally; femur of hind leg flattened laterally and twisted near base.

First and second gastral tergites with a pair of white spots; erect hairs lacking on lateral margin of head; posterior margin of head with a pair of erect hairs; antennal scape only covered with appressed hairs; pronotum with a pair of erect hairs; posterodorsal angle of propodeum without erect hairs.

Major worker. With characteristics of minor worker, except for the following characters: enlarged head (CS: 3.22 ± 0.15; 3.03-3.39; CWb/CL: 0.93 ± 0.01; 0.92-0.93) with noticeable medial excision on posterior margin; straight anterior clypeal margin; apical 1/4 of antennal scape surpassing posterior cephalic margin; propodeum dorsum and declivity the same length.

Distribution and biology.

Camponotus asara is endemic to Madagascar and geographically restricted to the dry forest of the PN Zombitse in the southern high plateau of the island and the relict montane rainforest of the PN Ambohijanahary (Fig. 42D ). Colony nests can be in rotten logs and in rot pockets above the ground. Workers have been found foraging in leaf litter and on the ground.

Discussion.

Camponotus asara is morphologically similar to C. bozaka and C. becki in that its petiolar node is more or less compressed anteroposteriorly in lateral view and its body color is black to dark brown, or the posterior portion of the mesosoma is pale brown to yellow. However, C. bozaka has a scalelike petiolar node, short and high mesosoma, and propodeal dorsum that joins the declivity in a blunt angle with a length < 2 × height of the declivity, the junction being angulate. Regarding C. becki , its anteromedian clypeal margin is truncate and a few erect hairs are present on the lateral margin of the head behind the level of the posterior ocular margin.

The cluster of the samples for C. asara in the NC-clustering dendrogram is supported by LDA with a classification success of 100%.

Etymology.

The species name asara is a non-Latin singular noun used in apposition.

Figures

Figure 27. Head in full-face view A C. becki (CASENT 0071380) B C. asara (CASENT 0493252).

Figure 28. Mesosoma and petiolar node in lateral view A C. asara (CASENT 0493252) B C. bozaka (CASENT 0217309).

Figure 42. Camponotus asara A lateral view B head in full-face view C dorsal view of holotype minor worker CASENT 0493252 D distribution map.