Camponotus maintilany, Rasoamanana & Fisher, 2022

Rasoamanana, Nicole & Fisher, Brian L., 2022, A taxonomic revision of the Malagasy endemic subgenus Mayria of the genus Camponotus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) based on qualitative morphology and quantitative morphometric analyses, ZooKeys 1081, pp. 137-231 : 137

Camponotus maintilany sp. nov.

Figures 37B , 39A , 64

Holotype worker.

Madagascar, Province Antananarivo, Ankalalahana, -19.00659, 47.1122, 1375 m, Uapaca woodland, ground forager(s), 29 March 2011 (BLF), collection code: BLF26368, specimen code: CASENT0245156 (CAS). Paratypes. Two workers with same data as holotype but collection code: BLF26364, specimen code: CASENT0245172; collection code: BLF26385, specimen code: CASENT0245187 (CAS).

Worker diagnosis.

Ants bicolored: head and mesosoma reddish brown, gaster dark brown to black; pronotum and mesonotum form a unique dome followed by an impressed metanotal suture, propodeum, and petiole angle with standing, whitish, spatulate hairs, head and gastral dorsum with sparse, fine, brown hairs; petiole squamiform.

Description of minor worker.

Medium-sized species. Absolute cephalic size (CS: 0.84 ± 0.05, 0.81-0.86). In full-face view, head distinctly longer than broad, with convex occipital margin and subparallel lateral sides (CWb/CL: 0.33 ± 0.02, 0.32-0.34). Eyes elliptical and break the lateral outlines of head (PoOC/CL: 0.09 ± 0.01, 0.08-0.10). Mandibles triangular with six short, blunt teeth. Clypeus convex, its anterior border produced into rounded lobe (ClyL/GPD: 0.24 ± 0.01, 0.22-0.25). Antennal scape long, surpassing the occipital margin (SL/CS: 0.40 ± 0.03, 0.39-0.43). In lateral view, mesosoma without anterolateral margination, promesonotum distinctly convex, mesopropodeal suture deeply impressed so that propodeum dorsum is raised to the level of mesopropodeal suture, propodeum angular in profile, with unequal basal and declivitous faces, the former horizontal, the latter straight to evenly concave (MW/ML: 0.20 ± 0.01, 0.19-0.20; MPH/ML: 0.14 ± 0.03, 0.12-0.15). In lateral view, petiole cuneate, its anterior face convex, its posterior face more flattened with entire border broad. Body finely imbricate. Hairs grayish, present only on vertex, one pair next to the pronotal suture, one pair on the middle of mesonotum dorsum, sparse on gastral tergite; enlarged, whitish hairs present on propodeal corner (two or three pairs) and on posteromargin of petiole; pubescence whitish and more dilute on gaster tergites. Head, mesosoma, and appendages reddish to brownish yellow; first gastral segment lighter colored than the remaining dark brown segments.

Description of major worker.

Characteristics of minor workers, except: head apparently rectangular, with straight to feebly convex posterior margin and parallel lateral sides. (CS: 1.13 ± 0.05, 1.09-1.18; CWb/CL: 0.90 ± 0.02, 0.88-0.91). Eyes circular, placed dorsally next to the lateral margin (PoOC/CL: 0.26 ± 0.01, 0.25-0.27). Anterior clypeal margin forms a short, rounded lobe (ClyL/GPD: 0.83 ± 0.00, 0.83-0.83). Antennal scape short, just reaching the occipital border (SL/CS: 0.77 ± 0.03, 0.74-0.79). Dorsal outline of mesosoma not very convex and interrupted but pronotal and mesopropodeal suture present, the latter weakly impressed.

Distribution and biology.

Camponotus maintilany occurs from 1300-1987 m in elevation and inhabits a montane environment in the central highlands, where it prefers mostly Uapaca forest or woodland, but is also found in savanna grassland and eucalyptus plantations (Fig. 70E ). This new species has been collected by digging in soil, sifting leaf litter, and baiting with tuna fish or sardines. In addition, a few workers were found in Malaise traps.

Discussion.

Camponotus maintilany is most readily distinguished from other members of the Camponotus ellioti species group by a deeper metanotal groove and shinier sculpture. It may be confused with C. andrianjaka but can be separated by its impressed metanotal suture and truncate petiolar node.

Etymology.

This species is derived from the coloration of the mesosoma and gaster. “Mainty” means black and “ilany” means second part.

Additional material examined.

Province Antananarivo: Alasora, -18.96245, 47.58925, 1434 m, grassland (BLF) (CAS); Ambatolaona, -18.928, 47.88283, 1382 m, urban/garden (BLF) (CAS); Ambohidrabiby, -18.7746, 47.60908, 1362 m, eucalyptus plantation (BLF) (CAS); Analamanga Region , District of Arivonimamo , Andebadeba Uapaca forest , 4 km from Arivonimamo , -19.00806, 47.14861, 1300 m, Uapaca forest (MG) (CAS); Andohony I Non Protected Area , 22.62 km SW Antsirabe, -20.06784, 46.99068, 1451 m, Savannah grassland (ARA) (CAS); Andohony II Non Protected Area , 22.71 km SW Antsirabe, -20.06904, 46.99199, 1398 m, savanna grassland (ARA) (CAS); Ankalalahana, -19.00711, 47.1337, 1350 m, Uapaca woodland (BLF) (CAS); Ankalalahana, -19.00659, 47.1122, 1375 m, Uapaca woodland (BLF) Ankalalahana, -19.00659, 47.1122, 1375 m, Uapaca woodland (BLF) (CAS); Ankalalahana, -19.00716, 47.1124, 1370 m, Uapaca woodland (BLF) (CAS); Ankalalahana, -19.0531, 47.11304, 1314 m, Uapaca woodland (H.E. Marti et al.) (CAS); Ankalalahana, -18.99666, 47.1118, 1353 m, Uapaca woodland (H.E. Marti et al.) (CAS); Antaponimanadala III Non Protected Area , 6.55 km E Manalalondo, -19.25583, 47.17751, 1987 m, savanna grassland (ARA) (CAS); Iharanandriana, -19.15823, 47.49702, 1513 m, Uapaca woodland (BLF) (CAS), Kaloy, -18.59568, 47.65333, 1338 m, grassland (BLF) (CAS); Navoatra I Non Protected Area , 7.64 km NW Arivonimamo, -18.97806, 47.11929, 1373 m, Uapaca woodland (ARA) (CAS); Navoatra III Non Protected Area, 7.39 km NW Arivonimamo, -18.98028, 47.12071, 1321 m, Uapaca woodland (ARA) (CAS); Navoatra IV Non Protected Area, 7.15 km NW Arivonimamo, -18.98194, 47.12232, 1323 m, Uapaca woodland (ARA) (CAS) .

Figures

Figure 37. Mesosoma in lateral view A C. maintikibo (CASENT 0763877) B C. maintilany (CASENT 0120678).

Figure 39. Mesosoma in lateral view A C. maintilany (CASENT 0120678) B C. andrianjaka (CASENT 0243690).

Figure 64. Camponotus maintilany minor worker (CASENT 0120678) 1 body in lateral view 2 head in full-face view 3 body in dorsal view.

Figure 70. Distribution maps of C. antsaraingy species group A C. antsaraingy; C. efitra species group B C. chrislaini, C. ellioti species group C C. ellioti. D C. andrianjaka. E C. maintilany and C. madagascarensis species group F C. ivadia