Camponotus pulcher Forel Stat.

Rakotonirina, Jean Claude & Fisher, Brian L., 2018, Taxonomic revision of the Malagasy Camponotus subgenus Mayria (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using qualitative and quantitative morphology, Zootaxa 4438 (1), pp. 1-58 : 46-47

Camponotus pulcher Forel Stat. n.

( Figures 10B , 11B , 12B , 30 , 38 )

Camponotus dromedarius var. pulcher Forel, 1892: 234 . Lectotype minor worker, present designation, Madagascar, Imerina ville d’Anosibe [Toamasina, Anosibe an’Ala, -19.433332, 48.216667, 660 m] (Sikora), AntWeb CASENT0101533 (MHNG) [examined]. [Combination in Camponotus (Myrmosaga) : Wheeler, 1922: 1045; in Camponotus (Mayria) : Emery, 1925: 122; Bolton, 1995: 119]. Stat. n.

Diagnosis. Median longitudinal carina of clypeus lacking; anteromedian margin of clypeus slightly concave medially; mandible with six teeth; in lateral view, mesosoma short and high, propodeal dorsum straight, not excised medially; petiolar node as long as high.

Description. Minor worker. In full-face view, head longer than broad (CWb/CL: 0.84±0.05; 0.81–0.94), lateral margin straight anterior to the eye and convex posteriorly; posterior margin slightly excised medially. Clypeus with feebly concave anteromedian margin and broadly angulate lateral margin. Eyes not breaking lateral outlines of head, their posterior margins located well behind the mid-length of the head (PoOc/CL: 0.33±0.01; 0.31–0.35). Mandible triangular, apical margin with six sharp teeth. Antennal scape long, roughly its distal half surpassing posterior margin of head. With mesosoma in lateral view, dorsal outline forming an even continuous convexity, joining declivity in a broad angle; propodeal declivity straight and inclined posteriorly. Petiolar node as high as long.

Dorsum of head, mesosoma, and gastral segments with scattered, erect, slender hairs and sparse pubescence. Head black, mesosoma and petiole orange and black spot sometimes present along metanotal suture; gastral segments generally orange, posterior portion of second gastral tergite and remainder of sternite and tergite patchily or entirely dark brown to black; scape and other appendages generally yellow to light orange, flagellum and junction of femur and tibia and proximal portion of basitarsus brown to dark brown.

Major worker. With characteristics of minor worker, except for the typically broader head, much higher petiolar node, and more dark brown to black spots on dorsum of mesosoma and gastral segments.

Discussion. Camponotus pulcher is similar to C. dromedarius and C. lamosy . See discussion sections under C. dromedarius and C. lamosy where the comparisons of these species are provided.

Two syntype specimens were designated by Forel to represent C. pulcher in his original description, but after careful observations, only one specimen, which is presently designated as a lectotype of the species, matches this description. The second specimen, with AntWeb CASENT0101532, has been removed from C. pulcher and is currently placed in C. foersteri in the present revision.

The qualitative morphology-based delimitation of C. pulcher is confirmed by multivariate statistical analysis. The validity of the species is also confirmed by LDA at 100% classification success.

Distribution and biology. This species is distributed along the rainforest and montane rainforest habitats of the north and northeast as well as the central east of Madagascar. In the Réserve Spéciale Manongarivo, where both forest habitats are found, the members of C. pulcher have been known to nest in rotting tree stumps and forage in leaf litter and on low vegetation. In the rainforests of the Parc National Masoala and the montane rainforest of Torotorofotsy, colonies have been collected from rotten logs.

Additional material examined. Province Antsiranana: Masoala National Park , 280 m, -15.3014, 50.22776, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher et al.) ( CASC) ; Réserve Spéciale Manongarivo , 12.8 km 228° SW Antanambao, 780 m, - 13.97667, 48.42333, rainforest, (B.L. Fisher) ( CASC) ; Réserve Spéciale Manongarivo , 14.5 km 220° SW Antanambao, 1175 m, -13.99833, 48.42833, montane rainforest, (B.L. Fisher) ( CASC) ; Province Toamasina: Torotorofotsy , 1070 m, -18.87082, 48.34737, montane rainforest, marsh edge, (Malagasy ant team) ( CASC) ; Torotorofotsy , 1070 m, -18.87082, 48.34737, montane rainforest, marsh edge, (Malagasy ant team) ( CASC) .

Figures

FIGURE 10. Mesosoma in lateral view. A: C. lamosy (CASENT0408976). B: C. pulcher (CASENT0191639).

FIGURE 11. Mesosoma and petiole node in lateral view. A: C. dromedarius (CASENT0496817). B: C. pulcher (CASENT0191639).

FIGURE 12. Head, mesosoma and petiolar node in lateral view. A: C. christi (CASENT0129791). B: C. mainty (CASENT0487002). C: C. foersteri (CASENT0179450).

FIGURE 30. Camponotus pulcher minor worker CASENT0191639. A: lateral view. B: head in full-face view. C: dorsal view.

FIGURES 35–42. Distribution maps of Camponotus subgenus Mayria in Madagascar. Fig. 35: C. maculiventris, Fig. 36: C. mainty, Fig. 37: C. manabo, Fig. 38: C. pulcher, Fig. 39: C. raina, Fig. 40: C. repens, Fig. 41: C. sada, Fig. 42: C. tanosy.