Camponotus androy 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 : 103-107

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Formicidae

Camponotus androy Rakotonirina, Csosz & Fisher sp. n. Figures 8B, 9A, 20, 35

Holotype worker.

Madagascar, Province Toliara, Réserve Spéciale de Cap Sainte Marie, 12.3 km 262° W Marovato, -25.58167, 45.16833, 200 m, spiny forest/thicket, ex dead twig above ground, 11-15 Fev 2002 (Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team) collection code: BLF05583 specimen code: CASENT0453723 (CASC).

Paratype.

16 workers with same data as holotype but with the following specimen codes: CASENT0453722, CASENT0453725, CASENT0453726, CASENT0453727, CASENT0453728, CASENT0453729, CASENT0453730, CASENT0453731, CASENT0453732, CASENT0453734, CASENT0746981, CASENT0746982, CASENT0746983, CASENT0746984, CASENT0746985, CASENT0746986 (BMNH, MHNG, MNHN, MSNG, CASC).

Additional material examined.

MADAGASCAR: Province Toliara: 3.4 km 190° S Marovato, -25.55972, 45.2825, 160 m, spiny forest/thicket, (Fisher-Griswold Ar thropod Team) CASC); Réserve Spéciale Cap Sainte Marie, 12.3 km 262° W Marovato, -25.58167, 45.16833, 200 m, spiny forest/thicket, (Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team) (CASC); Réserve Spéciale Cap Sainte Marie, 12.3 km 262° W Marovato, -25.58167, 45.16833, 200 m, spiny forest/thicket, (Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team) (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; dorsolateral portion of propodeum with sharp carina, posterolateral margin marginate; in profile, width of mesopleuron about as large as that of lateral portion of propodeum; at least a pair of erect hairs present on propodeal dorsum.

Description.

Minor worker (Figs 8B, 9A, 20). In full-face view head elongate (CWb/CL: 0.78-0.83), sides almost straight and rounding to the broadly convex posterior margin. Eyes protruding and large (EL/CS: 0.34-0.38), occupying more than one third of the side of the head; level of posterior ocular margin at posterior fifth portion of head (PoOc/CL: 0.19-0.22). Anteromedian margin of clypeus with blunt angle; posterior margin slightly notched medially. Mandible subtriangular, equipped with six teeth. Antennal scape relatively long, apical third portion surpassing rear cephalic margin (SL/CS: 0.97-1.1). Anterior face of pronotum very short, cervical shield directly joining pronotal dorsum. Anterodorsal angle and anterior portion of dorsolateral junction of pronotum marginate. In dorsal view, mesonotum almost as long as broad, width narrowing posteriorly; metanotal groove slightly impressed near sides and vestigial medially. In lateral view, width of mesopleuron, as seen at spiracle level, about as large as width of lateral portion of propodeum. Dorsolateral margin of propodeum extended into sharp carina; sides of propodeum and declivitous surface separated by sharp margination; propodeal dorsum sloping posteriorly and joining declivitous margin by blunt or rounded angle; propodeal spiracle on lateral portion of propodeum, located anterior to posterolateral margin of propodeum. Procoxa as wide as meso-metapleuron. In profile, petiolar node anteroposteriorly compressed; anterior margin convex and posterior margin more or less straight; dorsal margin medially excised. Constriction between abdominal segments III and IV absent.

Head, mesosoma, and petiolar node shining with imbricating sculpture; gastral tergite finely imbricate. Mandible with sparse piligerous punctures between smooth and shining surface. Number of pairs of erect hairs arranged as follows: three on clypeus, one near margins of frontal carinae, one at level of eyes, and one close to posterior margin of head; none on pronotum; one on mesonotum and propodeum at junction of dorsum and declivity; none on petiole. Two erect hairs on dorsum of anterior portion of first gastral tergite and four erect hairs on anterior and posterior portion of dorsum of two following gastral tergites. Pubescence sparse and short. Head and mesosoma black to dark brown; coxa, petiolar node and gaster brown to light brown; appendages proximally whitish-yellow (depigmented yellow) and apically light brown to yellow.

Major worker. With characteristics of minor worker except the following divergent features: posterior margin of head straight; lateral margin straight posteriorly and convex from anterior level of eyes to base of mandible; mandible robust with strong concavity near base of lateroventral portion and armed with eight teeth; level of posterior ocular margin at posterior fourth portion of head (PoOc/CL: 0.24-0.26); antennal scape reaching posterior cephalic border (SL/CS: 0.67-0.71); anterior portion of head with scattered shallow punctures. Pair of erect hairs arranged as: one or two on pronotum and propodeum, one on mesonotum.

Distribution and biology.

Camponotus androy is restricted to the spiny bush and thicket of Marovato region and the Réserve Spéciale Sainte Marie in the extreme south portion of Madagascar (Fig. 35). Across these areas, between 20 m and 200 m of alti tude, colony nests have been generally established in dead twigs above the ground and rarely in rotten logs or dead tree stumps.

Discussion.

Workers of Camponotus androy might be confused with those of Camponotus bevohitra in that they have a more or less straight posterior margin of the petiolar node, a very short anterior margin of pronotum and slightly carinate posterolateral margin of the propodeum. However, Camponotus androy is characterized by a narrower mesopleuron, which is about as large as the width of the lateral portion of the propodeum; at least one pair of erect hairs is present on the propodeal dorsum. In Camponotus bevohitra , the mesopleural width, taken at the level of the metanotal spiracle, is much larger than the width of the lateral portion of propodeum; the propodeal dorsum lacks erect hairs.

The taxonomic decision for Camponotus androy based on qualitative morphology-based study is corroborated by multivariate morphometric analysis. This species is classified correctly by confirmatory LDA at 100% success.