Camponotus hova Forel, 1891

Collingwood, C. A., Pohl, F., Güsten, R., Wranik, W., van Harten, A., 2004, The ants (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Socotra Archipelago, Fauna of Arabia 20, pp. 473-495 : 489-491

Camponotus hova Forel, 1891 Figs 18, 21

Camponotus rubripes r. maculatus var. hova Forel, 1886 . - Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 30: 150 (name unavailable). (Madagascar).

Camponotus maculatus r. hova Forel, 1891 . - Histoire Physique, Naturelle, et Politique de Madagascar 20: 35.

Camponotus maculatus (Fabricius, 1782) . - Kohl 1907: 282 (misidentified).

Camponotus hova . - Collingwood 1985: 277; Collingwood & van Harten 1994: 39; Collingwood & Agosti 1996: 373.

Specimens examined: Yemen, Socotra Island:spms from Adho Dimello , IV.1967, K.M. Guichard, NHMB ; spms from Nojid , 16.IV.1993, A. van Harten, CCC ; spms from Farmihin , X.1998, W. Wranik, CWWR ; nest sample, Adho Dimello, base camp, 12°34'N 54°02'E, 940 m, 03.II.1999, H. Pohl, HLMD-Hym-2101 , NHCY ; 1 large ☿, same data, NHCY ; 5 ☿☿, coast road east of Hadibo, coastal sand dunes , 12°36'N 54°21'E, 04-06.II.1999, H. Pohl, HLMD-Hym-2102 , NHCY ; 1 small ☿, Diksam Plateau , 12°32'N 53°59 E, 1020 m, pitfall trap, 22-24.II.1999, H. Pohl, HLMD-Hym-2103 ; spms from Hasaant , 29.XI.1999, W. Wranik, CWWR ; 1 small ☿, 2 large ☿ ☿, Za’pad, XI.1999, FCUA ; spms from Hoq , 13.II.2000, W. Wranik, CWWR ; 1 ♂, Diksam, camp , 12°31'N 53°57'E, 26-27.X.2000, H. Pohl, HLMD-Hym-2104 ; 4 ☿☿, Wadi Daneghan , 12°37N 54°04'E, 90 m, pitfall traps, 28-30.X.2000, A. van Harten & H. Pohl, HLMD-Hym-2105 , NHCY ; 1 large ☿, 1 ♂, Nit , X.2000, V. Bejcek & K. Sfastny, FCUA ; 1 small ☿, 1 large ☿, Homhil , 12°35 N 54°18'E, 330 m, 20-21.XI.2000, V. Bejcek & K. Sfastny, FCUA ; 4 ♂ ♂, Wadi Fahr , 12°26'N 54°12'E, 70 m, 01.IV.2001, V. Bejcek & K. Sfastny, FCUA . - Yemen, Samha Island: spms from coastal area , 08.II.2000, W. Wranik, CWWR . - Yemen, Abd al-Kuri Island: spms from coastal plain , 18.II.1999, W. Wranik, CWWR .

Remarks: Occurring throughout the island complex off the African coast in the Indian Ocean, this species can be regarded as a Malagasy faunal element. It has a superficial resemblance to the Afrotropical C. maculatus , but differs in the reduced number of ventral head hairs, less clearly defined pale spots on the gaster and generally smaller size. The old record of Camponotus maculatus for Socotra (Kohl 1907), based on specimens collected in 1899 by the expedition of the Vienna museum, should certainly be referred to C. hova . Small workers of C. atlantis and C. hova may be uniformly pale and difficult to distinguish, but the spines on the hind tibiae of C. hova are absent in C. atlantis (Figs 17-18). In addition, large workers of C. atlantis usually lack the two to six suberect hairs present on the underside of the head in C. hova .

As the largest ants present on Socotra, a separate name for C. hova and C. atlantis - “kazer” - is used in the native language.