Camponotus hagensii Forel, 1886

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 hagensii Forel

Figs 33A , 56

Camponotus rubripes r. hagensii Forel, 1886a: 158. Lectotype minor worker, by present designation, Centre de Madagascar (Hildebrandt) AntWeb CASENT0910112 (MHNG) [examined]. Paralectotypes: 2 minor workers and 3 major workers of same data as lectotype but respectively specimen coded as: FOCOL2423, FOCOL2424 (ZMHB), and CASENT0910111 (MHNG), CASENT0104632 and FOCOL2422 (ZMHB), CASENT0101494 (MNHN) [examined]. As subspecies of Camponotus maculatus , Forel, 1891: 27; of Camponotus fumidus , Santschi, 1922: 101. Raised to species by Dalla Torre 1893: 233; Forel 1914: 267; Emery 1920b: 6; Wheeler 1922: 1039; Emery 1925: 92.

Additional material examined.

Madagascar: Antananarivo: Central Madagascar; Ambatomanjaka; Miarinarivo, -18.876091, 46.865775, 1343 m (Hildebrandt) (CAS). Antsiranana: 12.2 km WSW Befingotra, Réserve Anjanaharibe-Sud, -14.75, 49.43333, 1960 m, montane rainforest (B.L. Fisher) (CAS); 12.2 km WSW Befingotra, Réserve Anjanaharibe-Sud, -14.75, 49.43333, 1985 m, montane rainforest (B.L. Fisher) (CAS); Nosi-Bé du Majunga; Nosy be; Nosibe, -13.315028, 48.25927, 128 m (P. Carié) (CAS); PN Marojejy, 25.4 km 30° NNE Andapa, 10.9 km 311° NW Manantenina, -14.445, 49.735, 2000 m, montane shrubland (B.L. Fisher) (CAS). Fianarantsoa: 36 km S Ambalavao, PN Andringitra, -22.2, 46.96667, 1900 m, montane rainforest (B.L. Fisher) (CAS); 36 km S Ambalavao, PN Andringitra, -22.2, 46.96667, 1975 m, few trees, ericoid thicket (B.L. Fisher) (CAS); 8.5 km SE Antanitotsy, Anjavidilava Forest, -22.16667, 46.96667, 1990 m, Philipia Forest (B.L. Fisher, Sylvain) (CAS); Forest d’Ambalamanakana, -20.73333, 47.2 (A. Pauly) (CAS); PN Andringitra; 8.5 km SE Antanitotsy, -22.16667, 46.96667, 1990 m, montane rainforest (Sylvain) (CAS); Soanierenana IV Non Protected Area, 25.22 km SW Ambositra, -20.72389, 47.10705, 1736 m, savannah grassland (A. Ravelomanana) (CAS); Vohiparara, -21.23333, 47.36667 (A. Pauly) (CAS). Toliara: Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 32.5 km NW Manantenina, -24.14098, 47.03689, 1900 m, montane rainforest (B.L. Fisher, F.A. Esteves 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.

In full-face view, lateral margin of head anterior to eye level diverging posteriorly and covered with erect hairs; anterior clypeal margin truncate; mesosoma in profile low and long; gastral tergites without abundant pubescence; head and gaster black, mesosoma reddish orange to brown.

Description.

Minor worker. In full-face view, head sides diverging towards broadly convex posterior margin or parallel anterior to eye level and rounding evenly to posterior border; eye protruding and large (EL/CS: 0.30 ± 0.01; 0.28-0.33), breaking lateral cephalic margin; level of its posterior margin located ca. at posterior 1/4 of head (PoOc/CL: 0.25 ± 0.01; 0.23-0.25); frontal carinae wide (FR/CS: 0.34 ± 0.01; 0.31-0.35), posteriorly diverging, distance between them larger than their smallest distance to eye; clypeus without well-defined anterolateral corner, anteromedian margin approximately truncate; mandible with two apical teeth distantly spaced; antennal scape relatively long (SL/CS: 1.24 ± 0.06; 1.09-1.36). Promesonotum weakly convex, mesonotum with posterior portion flat immediately anterior to weakly visible metanotal groove; propodeal dorsum almost straight, its junction to declivity bluntly angulate; height of propodeal declivity 3/4 length of dorsum. Petiolar node short and high; its dorsal margin inclined posteriorly, rounding to anterior margin; height of anterior face 2/3 that of posterior; femur of hind leg rounded axially, not twisted basally.

First and second gastral tergites without a pair of white spots; erect hairs on lateral margin of head lacking; more than six erect hairs present near posterior margin of head; antennal scape covered only with suberect hairs inclined at ca. 30° and appressed hairs; pronotum with few erect hairs, mesonotum bearing a pair of erect hairs; posterodorsal corner of propodeum with two pairs of erect hairs. Head, antenna, and gaster dark brown or reddish brown; mesosoma, petiolar node, and legs yellow to orange-yellow.

Major worker. Differing from minor worker in having larger, heart-shaped head (CS: 2.37 ± 0.26; 2.00-2.70; CWb/CL: 0.97 ± 0.05; 0.92-1.04) with broadly concave posterior margin, anteromedian margin of clypeus slightly excised medially; apical 1/4 of antennal scape extending beyond posterior cephalic margin; robust mesosoma with distinct metanotum; propodeal dorsum convex immediately behind metanotum, <2 × the height of declivity surface; petiolar node much higher than long and tapering dorsally.

Distribution and biology.

Camponotus hagensii is known mostly from montane rainforest, montane ericoid thicket, philipia forest, montane shrubland, and savannah grassland of the high plateau ranging from the PN Marojejy in the north to the Anosyenne Mountains in the south (Fig. 56D ). The species has been found nesting in the ground, in root mat layers on the ground, and in rotting tree stumps. Workers have been found foraging frequently on the ground and leaf litter, rarely on low vegetation.

Discussion.

Camponotus hagensii is similar to C. aurosus with respect to the bicolored body and the presence of erect hairs on the lateral margin of the head anterior to eye level, but in C. aurosus the anterior clypeal margin is broadly triangular, the mesosoma is short and high in profile, and the gastral tergites are covered with abundant pubescence.

The cluster of C. hagensii samples presented by the dendrogram of multivariate morphometric analysis is supported by the cumulative LDA at 100% identification success. This finding is consistent with the results of the qualitative morphology-based study.

Figures

Figure 33. Head in full-face view A C. aurosus (CASENT 0064815) B C. hagensii (CASENT 0191568).

Figure 56. Camponotus hagensii A lateral view B head in full-face view C dorsal view of minor worker CASENT 0191568 D distribution map.