Camponotus antsaraingy, 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 antsaraingy sp. nov.

Figures 4 A-D , 13B , 19A , 51

Holotype worker.

Madagascar, Province Antsiranana, Antsaraingy, -12.90362, 49.65921, 66 m, littoral forest, ground nest, 21 October 2013 (BLF), collection code: BLF32314, specimen code: CASENT0371032 (CAS). Paratypes. Two workers with same data as holotype but collection code: BLF32341, specimen code: CASENT0371026 and CASENT0840640 (CAS).

Worker diagnosis.

Integument entirely black, coarsely sculptured; gaster densely covered with enlarged white hairs; anterior clypeal margin with a rectangular lobe, broadly rounded medially; antennal scape flattened longitudinally; appressed, pointed-oval, whitish hairs present next to the antennal insertion; dorsal face of propodeum distinctly shorter than declivitous face; only three first gastral tergites visible dorsally.

Description of minor worker.

Large-sized species. Absolute cephalic size (CS: 2.14 ± 0.38, 2.00-2.33). In full-face view, head elongate (CWb/CL: 0.34 ± 0.03; 0.32-0.35); posterior margin of head straight, lateral margin of head even straighter, feebly converging toward base of mandible. Eyes elliptical, sublateral, and placed next to the vertex (PoOC/CL: 0.08 ± 0.02; 0.07-0.09). Mandibles triangular with six teeth. Clypeus strongly carinate throughout its length, with produced, angular, anterior margin, lateral corner angulate and median portion a rounded triangle (ClyL/GPD: 0.25 ± 0.05, 0.22-0.28). Antennal scape longitudinally flattened, its base scarcely enlarged (SL/CS: 0.44 ± 0.04, 0.42-0.45). In lateral view, mesosoma short and high, its dorsum smoothly arcuate, metanotal suture obsolete. Humeral angle rounded. Dorsal and declivitous face of propodeum difficult to distinguish and forming a rounded angle (MW/ML: 0.27 ± 0.02; 0.26-0.28; MPH/ML: 0.21 ± 0.02, 0.20-0.22). In lateral view, petiole squamiform with sharp edge, anterior face short and converging to the highest point of the petiole, posterior face straight. Ventral face of femora marginate laterally, the outer margin of tibia with long, whitish setae. Head and mesosoma coarsely reticulate-punctate, legs and gastral tergite finely imbricate. Mandible finely foveolate with sparse punctures. Whitish, suberect hairs present on occipital portion, to the anterior margin of eyes, and on posteroventral head surface, scarcely distributed on mesosoma dorsum but much closer on declivity; decumbent, spatulate, whitish hair on the ventral section of gena, below the antennal socket, on the posterolateral margin of clypeus, promesonotum dorsum, petiolar node, and gastral tergite; suberect and decumbent whitish hairs present on gastral segment. Entire body blackish except the mandible testaceous to reddish.

Description of major worker.

With characteristics of minor workers, except: head more cordate (CS: 3.32 ± 0.21, 2.94-3.55) (CWb/CL: 0.96 ± 0.01, 0.95-0.99); lateral margins slightly convex and tapering anteriorly. Eyes elliptical, smaller compared to head size (EL/CS: 0.20 ± 0.01; 0.20-0.21), placed dorsally next to posterior margin of frontal carina. Antennal scape short and not exceeding posterior margin of head (SL/CS: 0.81 ± 0.04; 0.76, 0.88); mandible more robust. Mesosoma and pilosity same as minor worker.

Distribution and biology.

This new species is only known from Antsaraingy, a littoral forest, from 66 to 90 m in elevation, located in the northern portion of Madagascar (Fig. 70A ). Nests were found underground and inside termite mounds; four colonies were collected to represent this species.

Discussion.

Despite its large size, Camponotus antsaraingy may be confused with Camponotus mita and Camponotus voeltzkowii because in these three species the propodeal face of the propodeum is more reduced than the declivitous face. In C. antsaraingy the antennal segments are entirely flattened while in C. mita only the basal half is flattened; C. voeltzkowii has circular antennal segments. The pubescence on the gastral segment consists of thick, decumbent hair of the same type as the pilosity in C. antsaraingy , with short and filiform hairs on the other two species.

Etymology.

The species epithet is in reference to the type locality.

Additional material examined.

Province Antsiranana: Antsaraingy, -12.90665, 49.6606, 90 m, littoral forest, BLF (CAS).

Figures

Figure 4. Morphological character of minor and major workers of C. antsaraingy species group Camponotus antsaraingy A, B head in full-face view and mesosoma in lateral view of minor worker (CASENT 0371032) C, D head in full-face view and mesosoma in lateral view of major worker (CASENT 0840640).

Figure 13. Type of hair on mesosoma dorsum A C. nossibeensis (CASENT 0191657) B C. antsaraingy (CASENT 0371032).

Figure 19. Head in full-face view A C. antsaraingy (CASENT 0371032). B C. ethicus (CASENT 0409948).

Figure 51. Camponotus antsaraingy minor worker (CASENT 0371032) 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