Camponotus sexguttatus (Fabricius

Wild, A. L., 2007, A catalogue of the ants of Paraguay (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)., Zootaxa 1622, pp. 1-55 : 47-48

publication ID	21367
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B08DA0DB-EEC0-4ED3-9FBE-59328B034102
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6239912
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E39C1BFA-95B2-09D6-B571-3A03D671CC8F
treatment provided by	Thomas
scientific name	Camponotus sexguttatus (Fabricius
status

Treatment

Camponotus sexguttatus (Fabricius View in CoL HNS 1793).

Formica sexguttata Fabricius HNS 1793: 354.

Camponotus sexguttatus (Fabricius) HNS . Mayr 1862: 656.

Camponotus sexguttatus var. fusciceps Emery HNS 1906: 192. NEW SYNONYMY. [syntype w examined, MHNG; Mato Grosso, Brazil] .

Camponotus (Myrmosphincta) sexguttatus (Fabricius) HNS . Forel 1912e: 92.

Camponotus (Myrmosphincta) sexguttatus var. fusciceps Emery HNS . Wheeler 1916: 14.

Camponotus sexguttatus HNS is a common ant throughout the neotropics, particularly in disturbed or edge habitats, that has accumulated an unfortunate number of infraspecific taxa. These names usually pertain to minor color differences. While C. sexguttatus HNS in the broad sense may actually contain a number of cryptic species over the full range of the group, there is little chance that the current haphazard assortment of subspecies and varieties accurately represents them. Literature records from Paraguay include both C. sexguttatus HNS (Forel 1906, Forel 1907b [as “ bimaculatus HNS ”], Kempf 1972) and C sexguttatus var. fusciceps HNS (Emery 1906, Kempf 1972). Examination of the specimens at MHNG on which the records are based shows both to belong to the single common species that I have been calling C. sexguttatus HNS . A proper taxonomic study may eventually show that the forms from subtropical South America should have a different name, as the type of C. sexguttatus HNS is Antillean in origin, far to the north.