Camponotus lokobe, 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 lokobe sp. nov.

Figs 8C , 11A , 65

Holotype worker.

Madagascar: Province Antsiranana: RNI Lokobe, 6.3 km 112° ESE Hellville, Nosy Be, -13.41933, 48.33117, 30 m, rainforest, ex rotten log, 19-24 Feb 2001, (Fisher, Griswold et al.) collection code: BLF03476, specimen code: CASENT0436584 (CAS).

Paratypes.

2 workers of same data as holotype but specimen coded as: CASENT0835595 (PBZT, CAS).

Additional material examined.

Madagascar: Antsiranana: Nosy Be, RNI Lokobe , 6.3 km 112° ESE Hellville, -13.41933, 48.33117, 30 m, rainforest (Fisher, Griswold et al.) (CAS) .

Diagnosis.

With head in full-face view, lateral cephalic margins converging posteriorly towards eye level, then rounding to occipital corner of head; anteromedian margin of clypeus noticeably excised medially; two apical teeth of mandible normally spaced; lateral cephalic margin anterior to eye level covered with erect hairs.

Description.

Minor worker. With head in full-face view, lateral cephalic borders anterior to level of eye parallel to each other, converging strongly towards posterior margin behind eye level; eye large and convex (EL/CS: 0.30 ± 0.01; 0.27-0.31), breaking lateral margin of head, level of its posterior margin located approximately at posterior 1/3 of head (PoOc/CL: 0.29 ± 0.01; 0.28-0.31); frontal carinae not widely opened (FR/CS: 0.26 ± 0.01;0.25-0.27), posteriorly parallel, distance between them larger than smallest distance to eye; clypeus with anterolateral angle and medially slightly concave anteromedian margin; two apical teeth of mandible distantly spaced; antennal scape relatively long (SL/CS: 1.80 ± 0.03; 1.76-1.85). Mesosoma long and low (MPH/ML: 0.29 ± 0.01; 0.29-0.30), with its dorsal outline almost flat; metanotal groove feebly visible; propodeal dorsum feebly convex anteriorly and flat posteriorly; junction of propodeal dorsum to declivity bluntly angulate; propodeal declivity 1/3 length of the dorsum. Petiole nodiform, tapering dorsally; its dorsal margin inclined posteriorly and forming a blunt angle to anterior face; posterior face 2 × as high as the anterior; femur of hind leg rounded axially, without twist near base.

First and second gastral tergites without a pair of white spots; with head in full-face view lateral margin covered with erect hairs; near posterior margin of head with a pair of erect hairs; antennal scape covered with erect hairs inclined at ca. 45°; pronotum with numerous erect to suberect hairs; a pair of erect hairs present on posterodorsal angle of propodeum.

Major worker. Unknown.

Distribution and biology.

Camponotus lokobe is endemic to Madagascar and restricted to the rainforest of the RNI Lokobe in the north of the island (Fig. 65D ). Nest sites have been found in rotten logs.

Discussion.

Camponotus lokobe can be separated from C. dufouri and C. tendryi by the fact that its clypeus is characterized by a medially excised anteromedian margin.

The grouping of C. lokobe in the same cluster shown by the dendrogram of multivariate morphometric analysis is confirmed by the cumulative LDA at 100% identification success, corroborating the species hypothesized by the taxonomic revision based on qualitative morphology.

Etymology.

The species name lokobe is a singular non-Latin noun used in apposition and refers to the type locality.

Figures

Figure 8. Head in full-face view A C. cervicalis (CASENT 0217303) B C. dufouri (CASENT 0487727) C C. lokobe (CASENT 0436584).

Figure 11. Head in full-face view A C. lokobe (CASENT 0436584) B C. tendryi (CASENT 0145284).

Figure 65. Camponotus lokobe A lateral view B head in full-face view C dorsal view of holotype minor worker CASENT 0436584 D distribution map.