Camponotus aina, 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 aina sp. nov.

Figs 3A , 4A , 40

Holotype worker.

Madagascar: Province Antsiranana: RS Ankarana, 7 km SSE Matsaborimanga, -12.91667, 49.1, 150 m, tropical dry forest, on low vegetation, 28 Nov 1990 (P.S. Ward) collection code: PSW11019, specimen code: CASENT0217291 ( CAS).

Paratype.

1 minor worker with same data as holotype but specimen coded as: CASENT0217290 ( CAS).

Additional material examined.

Madagascar: Antsiranana: RS Ankarana, 7 km SSE Matsaborimanga , -12.91667, 49.1, 150 m, tropical dry forest (P.S. Ward) ( CAS) .

Diagnosis.

With head in full-face view, eye not breaking lateral cephalic margin; mesonotum short and lacking constriction; propodeal dorsum approximately straight, 3 × as long as the declivity; dorsal margin of petiole as long as posterior margin.

Description.

Minor worker. With head in full-face view, lateral margins anterior to eye level approximately parallel, rounding evenly towards slightly concave posterior margin; eye convex and large (EL/CS: 0.24 ± 0.02; 0.22-0.26), not breaking lateral cephalic margin, location of its posterior margin at posterior 1/4 of head (PoOc/CL: 0.26 ± 0.00; 0.26-0.26); frontal carinae parallel, widely opened posteriorly (FR/CS: 0.28 ± 0.01; 0.27-0.29); clypeus with blunt or poorly defined anterolateral angle, anteromedian margin broadly convex; two apical teeth of mandible normally spaced; antennal scape relatively long (SL/CS: 1.64 ± 0.02; 1.62-1.66). Promesonotum markedly convex, posterior region of mesonotum and propodeal dorsum approximately straight, with metanotal groove visible as suture; propodeal dorsum 3 × as long as declivity, their junction forming blunt angle. Anterior margin of petiolar node ca. 1/2 height of posterior margin and length of dorsal margin, separated from them by an angle and a convexity, respectively.

First and second gastral tergites without a pair of white spots; erect hairs on lateral margin of head present; near posterior margin of head with two elongate, erect hairs; antennal scape covered with erect hairs and lacking appressed hairs; junction of propodeal dorsum and declivity with two pairs of erect hairs.

Major worker. Unknown.

Distribution and biology.

Camponotus aina is endemic to Madagascar, its distribution restricted to the dry forest and Tsingy of the RS Ankarana in the north of the island (Fig. 40D ). Its nest site is unknown, but workers have been found foraging on lower vegetation.

Discussion.

Camponotus aina looks similar to C. joany in that it has a straight propodeal dorsum, but in the latter species the propodeal dorsum is 2 × as long as the declivity and the dorsal margin of the petiolar node is shorter than the posterior margin.

Etymology.

The species name aina is a non-Latin singular noun and is being used as a noun in apposition.

Figures

Figure 3. Mesosoma in lateral view A C. aina (CASENT 0217291) B C. harenarum (CASENT 0499207).

Figure 4. Mesosoma and petiolar node in lateral view A C. aina (CASENT 0217291) B C. joany (CASENT 0408908).

Figure 40. Camponotus aina A lateral view B head in full-face view C dorsal view of holotype minor worker CASENT 0217291 D distribution map.