Camponotus radovae Forel, 1886

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 radovae Forel, 1886

Figures 14B , 16D , 18C, D , 55

Camponotus radovae Forel, 1886: civ. Lectotype minor worker, present designation, Madagascar, Province Antananarivo ( Camboué), AntWeb CASENT0101363 (MHNG). Paralectotypes two workers with the same data as lectotype but specimen coded as CASENT0101362, CASENT0101364 (MHNG).

Camponotus (Myrmobrachys) radovae Forel, 1912: 91.

Camponotus (Myrmepomis) radovae Emery, 1920: 258.

Camponotus (Myrmopiromis) radovae Wheeler, 1922: 1052; Emery, 1925: 129; Bolton, 1995: 119, 131.

Camponotus radovae-darwinii Forel, 1891: 46. Lectotype minor worker, present designation, Madagascar, Province Antananarivo ( Camboué), AntWeb CASENT0101367 (MHNG). Paralectotype one worker with the same data as lectotype but specimen coded as CASENT0101115 (MHNG).

Camponotus (Myrmopiromis) radovae-darwinii Wheeler, 1922: 1053; Emery, 1925: 129; Bolton, 1995: 119. Syn, nov.

Worker diagnosis.

Integument matte black with sparse, yellowish brown hairs arranged in a series of transverse rows, pubescence reduced to absent on mesosomal dorsum. Anterior clypeal margin with a distinct produced rectangular lobe. Petiole cuneate in profile.

Description of minor worker.

Medium-sized species. Absolute cephalic size (CS: 1.59 ± 0.22, 1.43-1.77). In full-face view, head longer than broad, narrower in front than in back, with feebly convex occipital and lateral sides (CWb/CL: 0.37 ± 0.03; 0.35-0.40). Eyes circular, placed much closer to the lateral sides (PoOC/CL: 0.08 ± 0.01, 0.07-0.09). Mandibles triangular with six teeth. With head in full-face view, clypeus not carinate, its anterior margin produced, forming a short rectangular lobe with a sharp, lateral angle. Antennal scape circular, long, surpassing the occiput by the length of one basal funiculus (SL/CS: 0.39 ± 0.03, 0.37-0.41). In lateral view, anterodorsal corner of pronotum broadly rounded, mesosomal dorsal almost straight, propodeal dorsum shorter than declivity, both straight in profile and meeting at a blunt angle (MW/ML: 0.21 ± 0.02, 0.20-0.23; MPD/ML: 0.24 ± 0.02, 0.22-0.26). Promesonotal and metanotal sutures form bold, polished lines. In lateral view, petiolar node cuneate, with a short, vertical, anterior face which reaches toward the flattened posterior faces. Head and mesosoma finely alveolate, gaster more finely strigulate. Mandible finely foveate with sparse punctures. Pilosity of dorsal head and body consists of fine and pointed brownish yellow hairs, long and suberect on frontal area and mesosomal dorsum; mostly short and sparse on gastral tergites; petiolar dorsum edge with 4 to 5 pairs of brownish yellow hairs. Body entirely matte black, apical portion of mandible, basitarsi, and funiculus reddish brown.

Description of major worker.

Characteristics of minor workers, except: head somewhat cordate, with nearly straight posterior margin and slightly convex lateral sides (CS: 2.76 ± 0.12, 2.59-2.85; CWb/CL: 1.05 ± 0.02, 1.02-1.07). Eyes elliptical, placed dorsally midway from the occipital margin (PoOC/CL: 0.24 ± 0.01, 0.23-0.25). Clypeus much more quadrate in full-face view with truncate anterior margin (ClyL/GPD: 0.76 ± 0.13, 0.57-0.86). Antennal scape short, just surpassing the occipital border (SL/CS: 0.74 ± 0.03, 0.72-0.79). Dorsal outline of mesosoma interrupted by pronotal and mesonotal sutures, basal portion of propodeum forms an obtuse angle with the declivity. Lateral portion of head finely punctate, frontal area and vertex with deep punctures.

Distribution and biology.

Camponotus radovae is mainly distributed in the southern part of Madagascar in Zombitse National Park (Fig. 58D ). This species is encountered in native forest habitats such as deciduous dry forest, tropical dry forests, gallery forests, and spiny forests and thickets. It was sampled mostly from Malaise traps and by beating lower vegetation, on the ground, and twice on leaf litter at altitudes 20-840 m.

Discussion.

Within the Camponotus darwinii group, Camponotus radovae cannot be confused with C. darwinii or C. themistocles since the latter two differ by size and pilosity color. However, C. radovae has reduced pubescence and is smaller in size.

Additional material examined.

Province Toliara: Atsimo Andrefana Region , District of Sakaraha , Zombitse National Park ; 900 m N from ANGAP Entrance office, -22.8405, 44.73117, 823 m, spiny deciduous forest (MG) (CAS); Atsimo Andrefana Region , District of Toliara II , Mikea decidious dry forest 3 km N Andranomavo village, -22.90367, 43.4755, 30 m, Deciduous dry forest (MG) (CAS); Atsimo Andrefana Region , District of Toliara II , Mikea spiny forest 8 km N Andranomavo village, -22.91333, 43.39883, 37 m, spiny forest (MG) (CAS); Mikea Forest , deciduous dry forest, -22.90367, 43.4755, 30 m, deciduous dry forest (R. Harin’Hala) (CAS); Mikea Forest , spiny forest, -22.91333, 43.48222, 37 m, spiny forest (R. Harin’Hala) (CAS); near ANGAP office, Zombitse National Park , -22.8865, 44.69217, 840 m, deciduous spiny forest (R. Harin’Hala) (CAS); near road, Zombitse National Park , -22.8405, 44.73117, 825 m, spiny deciduous forest (R. Harin’Hala) (CAS); Parc National de Zombitse , 17.7 km 98° E Sakaraha , -22.88833, 44.70167, 760 m, tropical dry forest (FGAT) (CAS); Parc National de Zombitse, 19.8 km 84° E Sakaraha, -22.84333, 44.71, 770 m, tropical dry forest (FGAT) (CAS); Ranobe, -23.03975, 43.6109, 30 m, spiny forest/thicket (Frontier Project) (CAS); Ranobe, -23.03957, 43.61032, 30 m, spiny forest/thicket (Frontier Project) (CAS); Ranobe, -23.03957, 43.61017, 30 m, spiny forest/thicket (Frontier Project) (CAS); Ranobe, -23.03883, 43.60982, 30 m, gallery forest (Frontier Wilderness Project) (CAS); Ranobe, -23.03952, 43.61015, 20 m, gallery forest (Frontier Wilderness Project) (CAS); Ranobe, -23.03832, 43.6096, 20 m, gallery forest (Frontier Wilderness Project) (CAS) .

Figures

Figure 14. Density of hair on mesosoma dorsum and propodeum angle A C. nossibeensis (CASENT 0191657) B C. radovae (CASENT 0066208).

Figure 16. Mesosomal and gastral pilosity A C. ursus (CASENT 0217284) B C. darwinii (CASENT 0071420) C C. themistocles (CASENT 0217297) D C. radovae (CASENT 0121525).

Figure 18. Head in full-face view A, B C. themistocles (CASENT 0217297) C, D C. radovae (CASENT 0066208) and mesosomal pilosity for both species.

Figure 55. Camponotus radovae minor worker (CASENT 0066208) 1 body in lateral view 2 head in full-face view 3 body in dorsal view.

Figure 58. Distribution map of C. darwinii species group A C. darwinii B C. norvigi C C. nossibeensis D C. radovae E C. themistocles F C. ursus