Camponotus sericeiventris rex

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Camponotus sericeiventris rex
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Camponotus
Species: C. sericeiventris
Subspecies: C. sericeiventris rex
Trinomial name
Camponotus sericeiventris rex
Forel, 1907

Identification

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 20.988781° to 10.495797°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Costa Rica (type locality), Guatemala, Mexico.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • rex. Camponotus sericeiventris subsp. rex Forel, 1907e: 13 (s.w.) COSTA RICA, GUATEMALA, ECUADOR.
    • Type-material: syntype major and minor workers (numbers not stated).
    • Type-localities: Costa Rica: Pacuarito (W. Paap) (invalid restriction of type-locality by Kempf, 1972a: 48; no lectotype designated), Guatemala: San Benito (R. Paessler), Guatemala: Corinto (R. Paessler), Guatemala: Champerico (R. Paessler), Ecuador: (no further data) (Kraemer).
    • Type-depository: MHNG.
    • Wheeler, W.M. 1931c: 95 (q.).
    • Combination in C. (Myrmepomis): Emery, 1925b: 171.
    • Subspecies of sericeiventris: Forel, 1908b: 70; Forel, 1914e: 13; Santschi, 1916e: 399; Mann, 1922: 53; Emery, 1925b: 171; Borgmeier, 1927c: 161; Wheeler, W.M. 1931c: 94 (redescription); Kusnezov, 1952d: 223; Kempf, 1972a: 48; Bolton, 1995b: 120.
    • Distribution: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Wheeler (1931) - maxima Length 13-14 mm.; head 4.5 mm. long and 4.5 mm. broad; hind tibia 5.2 mm.

Differing from the maxima worker of sericeiventris in its somewhat more robust stature, in having the head as broad as long, with more convex, or swollen cheeks, the pronotum with short, very blunt spines, the meso- and metanotum less strongly compressed above, the petiole with blunt, broadly rounded superior border and more obtuse lateral angles, the flattened tibiae somewhat broader. The appressed pubescence is coarser, longer and denser, deep golden yellow, feebly or indistinctly converging to the middorsal line at the posterior borders of the gastric segments. Hairs abundant, on the head and thorax, black with deep fulvous tips, on the gaster fulvous throughout. Head and mandibles deep red, vertex blackish, sides, clypeus and gula shining and very finely punctate, the posterior corners with several short impressed line-like punctures.

major media and minor Length 8-12 mm.

Resembling the maxima, except in having the head smaller and blaek throughout, the appressed pubescence, however, even more abundant, covering the thorax, coxae, petiole and posterior half of the head as well as the gaster. Pronotal spines short and blunt, petiole with obtuse superior border as in the maxima.

Queen

Wheeler (1931) - Length 16-17 mm.; fore wing 15.5 mm.

Resembling the worker maxima, but head slightly longer than broad, subtrapezoidal, with rather straight sides and feebly excavated posterior border; the sides, clypeus and gula smooth and shining, deep red, as are also the mandibles. Pronotum with small blunt projections instead of the spines. Petiole shaped as in the maxima. Pubescence, especially on the head and thorax somewhat shorter. Scutellum and anterior portion of mesonotum smooth and shining, without pubescence. Wings colored as in the typical sericeiventris.

Type Material

Wheeler (1931) - Costa Rica: Pacuarito, type-locality (W. Paap).

References

  • Emery, C. 1925d. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum 183: 1-302 (page 171, Combination in C. (Myrmepomis))
  • Forel, A. 1907h. Formiciden aus dem Naturhistorischen Museum in Hamburg. II. Teil. Neueingänge seit 1900. Mitt. Naturhist. Mus. Hambg. 24: 1-20 (page 13, worker described)
  • Wheeler, W. M. 1931d. The ant Camponotus (Myrmepomis) sericeiventris Guérin and its mimic. Psyche (Camb.) 38: 86-98 (page 95, queen described)