Camponotus tapia, 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 tapia sp. nov.

Figs 15B , 25A , 29B , 30B , 75

Holotype worker.

Madagascar: Province Fianarantsoa: Forêt d’Atsirakambiaty, 7.6 km 285° WNW Itremo, -20.59333, 46.56333, 1550 m, grassland, under stone, 22-26 Jan 2003 (Fisher, Griswold et al.) collection code: BLF07214, specimen code: CASENT0493939 ( CAS).

Paratypes.

5 minor workers and 1 major worker with same data as holotype but respectively with specimen codes: CASENT0826114, CASENT0826115, CASENT0493938, CASENT0837568, CASENT0837569, CASENT0493942 ( NHMUK, MHNG, MSNG, PBZT, CAS).

Additional material examined.

Madagascar: Antananarivo: Andohony IV Non Protected Area, 22.51 km SW Antsirabe, -20.06718, 46.99274, 1526 m, Uapaca woodland (A. Ravelomanana) ( CAS); Beapombo I Non Protected Area, 22.51 km SW Antsirabe, -20.06892, 47.00404, 1663 m, Savannah grassland (A. Ravelomanana) ( CAS); Beapombo II Non Protected Area , 22.65 km SW Antsirabe, -20.07022, 47.00555, 1689 m, Savannah grassland (A. Ravelomanana) ( CAS); Navoatra III Non Protected Area , 7.39 km NW Arivonimamo, -18.98028, 47.12071, 1321 m, Uapaca woodland (A. Ravelomanana) ( CAS); Navoatra V Non Protected Area , 7.76 km NW Arivonimamo, -18.97667, 47.11889, 1316 m, Uapaca woodland (A. Ravelomanana) ( CAS) . Fianarantsoa: Forêt d’Atsirakambiaty, 7.6 km 285° WNW Itremo, -20.59333, 46.56333, 1550 m, grassland (Fisher, Griswold et al.) ( CAS); Amoron’i Mania Region, District of Ambositra , Italaviana Uapaca forest, 35 km SE of Antsirabe, -20.17333, 47.086, 1359 m, Uapaca forest ( Rin’Ha, Mike) ( CAS); Ampangabe III Non Protected Area , 21.26 km W Itremo, -20.6125, 46.60883, 1412 m, savannah woodland (A. Ravelomanana) ( CAS); Ampangabe VII Non Protected Area , 21.2 km W Itremo, -20.61417, 46.60989, 1420 m, Shrubland (A. Ravelomanana) ( CAS); Antapia IV Non Protected Area , 26.42 km SW Ambositra, -20.71917, 47.0868, 1494 m, Uapaca woodland (A. Ravelomanana) ( CAS); Antohatsahomby III Non Protected Area , 22.79 km NW Itremo, -20.54806, 46.58599, 1499 m, Uapaca woodland (A. Ravelomanana) ( CAS); Mampiarika III Non Protected Area , 28.93 km SW Ambositra, -20.73583, 47.08399, 1487 m, Uapaca woodland (A. Ravelomanana) ( CAS) .

Diagnosis.

With head in full-face view, lateral margins of head anterior to eye level parallel, lacking erect hairs; clypeus with distinct anterolateral corner; in oblique profile, four or more pairs of erect hairs arranged successively from level of anterior ocular margin towards posterior cephalic margin; in profile, junction of propodeal dorsum to declivity surface broadly angulate; petiole nodelike and not anteroposteriorly compressed.

Description.

Minor worker. In full-face view, head sides anterior to level of eye approximately parallel, strongly converging to form a short area posterior to level of eye; eye protruding and large (EL/CS: 0.29 ± 0.01; 0.28-0.31), breaking lateral cephalic margin, level of its posterior margin located at ca. posterior 1/4 of head (PoOc/CL: 0.24 ± 0.01; 0.23-0.25); frontal carinae close to each other, their distance equal to or smaller than their smallest distance to the eye (FR/CS: 0.25 ± 0.01; 0.23-0.27); clypeus with anterolateral angle, its anteromedian margin broadly triangular or convex; mandible with six teeth, its two apical teeth distantly spaced; antennal scape relatively long (SL/CS: 1.61 ± 0.08; 1.48-1.71). Promesonotum weakly convex, mesopropodeum almost flat; mesonotum flat immediately anterior to metanotal groove; metanotal groove weakly visible; propodeal dorsum anteriorly slightly convex and posteriorly flat, joining declivity at a blunt angle; propodeal declivity 1/3 length of dorsum. Petiole nodiform, its dorsal margin rounding to anterior face, posterior face higher than anterior; femur of hind leg rounded axially, without twist basally.

First and second gastral tergites without a pair of white spots; erect hairs on lateral margin of head absent; posterior margin of head with two erect hairs; with head in profile, four pairs of erect hairs arranged from level of anterior margin of eye to posterior cephalic margin; antennal scape covered only with appressed hairs; pronotum with a pair of erect hairs; posterodorsal angle of propodeum with 2-4 erect hairs.

Major worker. Differing from minor worker in the following characters: enlarged head (CS: 3.20 ± 0.21; 2.84-3.38; CWb/CL: 0.99 ± 0.03; 0.94-1.01) with noticeably concave posterior margin; apical 1/3 of antennal scape surpassing posterior cephalic margin; robust mesosoma, propodeal dorsum convex immediately posterior to metanotum, propodeal dorsum < 2 × as long as height of declivity, rounded at junction; petiolar node tapering dorsally.

Distribution and biology.

The distribution of C. tapia is limited to the high central plateau of Madagascar (Fig. 75D ). The species inhabits grassland, savannah woodland, shrubland, and Uapaca woodland in the region. Across these areas, this species nests most often under stones and in rotting tree stumps, and forages mainly on the ground.

Discussion.

See discussion under C. atimo .

In the present study, the definition of C. tapia is based on both qualitative morphological analysis and morphometrics, which are congruent. The grouping of the samples of this species obtained from the NC-clustering is confirmed by LDA with an identification success of 100%.

Etymology.

The species name tapia is non-Latin singular noun used in apposition and refers to the Malagasy name for Uapaca in reference to the type of habitat where the ant was most frequently found.

Figures

Figure 15. Head in full-face view A C. mahafaly (CASENT 0115287) B C. tapia (CASENT 0493939) C C. quadrimaculatus (CASENT 0096044).

Figure 25. Head in full-face view A C. tapia (CASENT 0217310) B C. aro (CASENT 0489917).

Figure 29. Head in lateral view A C. strangulatus (CASENT 0136581) B C. tapia (CASENT 0493939).

Figure 30. Mesosoma in lateral view A C. atimo (CASENT 0454042) B C. tapia (CASENT 0217310).

Figure 75. Camponotus tapia A lateral view B head in full-face view C dorsal view of minor worker CASENT 0217310 D distribution map.