Camponotus cervicalis Roger, 1863

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 cervicalis Roger

Figs 8A , 9B , 10B , 50

Camponotus cervicalis Roger, 1863: 134. Syntype workers, Madagascar (Humboldt) ( NHMB); 1 syntype minor worker designated as lectotype, by present designation, AntWeb CASENT0101178 ( NHMB) [examined]. Paralectotypes: 3 minor workers and 2 major workers of same data as lectotype but respectively specimen coded as: CASENT0101551, CASENT0101552 ( MHNG), CASENT0104634 (ZMHB); CASENT0101704 and CASENT0101779 ( MHNG) [examined]. Combination in Camponotus (Dinomyrmex) : Forel, 1914: 268; in Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) : Emery, 1925: 84.

Camponotus gaullei Santschi, 1911a: 128. Syntype workers, Madagascar, S. de la Baie d’Antongil, ( NHMB); 1 syntype minor worker designated as lectotype, by present designation, AntWeb CASENT0101179 ( NHMB) [examined]. [Combination in Camponotus (Dinomyrmex) : Wheeler, 1922: 1043; in Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) : Emery, 1925: 84]. As subspecies of Camponotus cervicalis by Emery, 1925: 84. Syn. nov.

Camponotus perroti Forel, 1897: 202. Syntype workers, Madagascar, Sainte Marie (Perrot) ( MHNG); 1 syntype minor worker designated as lectotype, by present designation, AntWeb CASENT0101350 ( MHNG) [examined]. Paralectotype major worker of same data as lectotype but with specimen code CASENT0101351 ( MHNG) [examined]. Syn. nov.

Camponotus perroti aeschylus Forel, 1913: 224. Holotype (by monotypy) alate queen, Madagascar (C. Keller) AntWeb CASENT0101561 ( MHNG) [examined]. Syn. nov.

Camponotus gerberti Donisthorpe, 1949: 271. Syntype workers, Madagascar, Sainte Marie (R. Géberti 1917) ( NHMUK); 1 syntype minor worker designated as lectotype, by present designation, AntWeb CASENT0102310 ( NHMUK) [examined]. Paralectotypes: 2 major workers of the same data as lectotype but with the following specimen codes: CASENT0102309, CASENT0102311 ( NHMUK) [examined]. [Combination in Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) : Donisthorpe, 1949: 271]. Syn. nov.

Additional material examined.

Madagascar: Antananarivo: [Madagascar]; Ambatomanjaka; Miarinarivo , -18.766947, 46.869107, 1343 m (Humblot) ( MNHN); Iharanandriana, -19.15823, 47.49702, 1513 m, Uapaca woodland (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CAS) . Antsiranana: Forêt Ambanitaza, 26.1 km 347° Antalaha , -14.67933, 50.18367, 240 m, rainforest (B.L. Fisher) ( CAS); RS Ankarana, 7 km SE Matsaborimanga, -12.9, 49.11667, 150 m, rainforest (P.S. Ward) (PSWC) . Toamasina: S. de la baie d’Antongil. ( NHMB); Mananara Avaratra , -16.170555, 49.765208, 18 m (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CAS); Nosy Mangabe, -15.5, 49.76667, <5 m, rainforest edge (P.S. Ward) (PSWC); Nosy Mangabe, 7.43 km S Maroantsetra, -15.4973, 49.76223, 3 m, littoral rainforest (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CAS); PN Masoala, 39.4 km 150° SSE Maroantsetra, -15.71, 49.97, 200 m, rainforest (B.L. Fisher & H.J. Ratsirarson) ( CAS); Parcelle K 7 Tampolo, -17.28333, 49.41667, 10 m, littoral forest (Malagasy ant team) ( CAS); RNI Betampona, 34.1 km 332° Toamasina, -17.91614, 49.20185, 550 m, rainforest (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CAS); SF Tampolo, 10 km NNE Fenoarivo Atn. -17.2825, 49.43, 10 m, littoral rainforest (B.L. Fisher) ( CAS); Tampolo, -17.28333, 49.41667, 10 m, littoral forest (Malagasy ant team) ( CAS) .

Diagnosis.

With head in full-face view, lateral cephalic margin converging posteriorly towards eye level, covered with erect hairs from anterior to posterior of eye level; anteromedian margin of clypeus broadly convex; two apical teeth of mandible normally spaced.

Description.

Minor worker. In full-face view, head sides converging progressively towards short posterior margin; eye protruding and large (EL/CS: 0.28 ± 0.01; 0.26-0.30), breaking lateral cephalic margin, level of posterior margin located at posterior 1/3 of head (PoOc/CL: 0.30 ± 0.01; 0.29-0.31); frontal carinae wide (FR/CS: 0.27 ± 0.01; 0.26-0.28), distance between them larger than smallest distance to eye; clypeus with anterolateral angle and anteromedian margin with blunt angle or convex; mandible with two apical teeth distantly spaced; antennal scape relatively long (SL/CS: 1.81 ± 0.12; 1.57-1.94). Promesonotum weakly convex, mesopropodeum almost flat, joining declivity with rounded angle; metanotal groove weakly visible; propodeal declivity 1/2 length of the dorsum. Petiolar node as long as high, with dorsal margin inclined posteriorly and rounding to anterior margin; anterior face 1/2 height of the posterior; femur of hind leg rounded axially, not twisted basally.

First and second gastral tergites without a pair of white spots; lateral margin of head with erect hairs; more than six erect hairs present near posterior margin of head; antennal scape covered with erect to suberect hairs inclined at ca. 45° as well as appressed hairs; pronotum covered with few erect hairs, mesonotum with a pair of hairs; posterodorsal angle of propodeum with two pairs of erect hairs.

Major worker. Characteristics the same as minor worker, except the enlarged head (CS: 4.17 ± 0.35; 3.83-4.63; CWb/CL: 0.91 ± 0.03; 0.85-0.93); the more strongly built mandible; apical 1/4 of antennal scape surpassing posterior cephalic margin; pronotum convex, mesonotum sloping towards metanotum, propodeal dorsum feebly convex and its junction to declivity broadly angulate; petiolar node much higher than long.

Distribution and biology.

Camponotus cervicalis is only known to occur in littoral forests and lower elevations of the rainforests in the east of Madagascar between the Ambanitaza forest in the north and the RNI Betampona in the south (Fig. 50D ). Workers of the species have been found foraging on the ground and through leaf litter, but nest sites range from rotten logs, rotting tree stumps, rot pockets above the ground, live trees, under tree bark, and in moss and leaf litter.

Discussion.

Camponotus cervicalis and C. niavo look similar, but in the latter, the level of the posterior ocular margin is located at posterior 1/4 of length of head and its antennal scape lacks appressed hairs.

In his original description of Camponotus gaullei , Santschi (1911a) discussed the resemblance of the species to C. cervicalis and C. dufouri and no strong separating characters were provided. However, with recent extensive sampling of the Malagasy ant fauna, the observation of the range of worker class sizes in these latter species indicates the closer similarity between C. cervicalis and C. gaullei . Combined with the close distance between the type localities of both species, this information would be enough to synonymize C. gaullei under C. cervicalis .

The description of C. perroti by Forel (1897) was based on a limited number of worker specimens which had a close similarity to C. cervicalis and C. dufouri . Careful examinations of more specimens obtained from the recent ant surveys in Madagascar show that C. perroti and C. cervicalis belong to the same species and that C. perroti merits its placement as a junior synonym of C. cervicalis .

Forel’s description of C. perroti aeschylus was based only on a single alate queen, and the comparison of this specimen with the queen specimens of C. cervicalis collected from its geographical range across Madagascar revealed that this type specimen was a queen of C. cervicalis .

Donisthorpe’s description of Camponotus gerberti did not compare the characters of the taxa to those of other species, although this description morphologically matches the type specimens of C. cervicalis . The data obtained from the recent ant survey in Madagascar and this information are sufficient to reasonably synonymize C. gerberti under C. cervicalis .

The identity of C. cervicalis based on conventional qualitative taxonomy is recognized by multivariate morphometric analysis. The cluster of the samples of the species created by NC-clustering method is confirmed by cumulative LDA with an identification success of 100%.

Figures

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

Figure 9. Head in full-face view A C. sambiranoensis (CASENT 0231845) B C. cervicalis (CASENT 0217303).

Figure 10. Head in full-face view A C. niavo (CASENT 0134004) B C. cervicalis (CASENT 0217303).

Figure 50. Camponotus cervicalis A lateral view B head in full-face view C dorsal view of minor worker CASENT 0217303 D distribution map.