Camponotus arenatus

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Camponotus arenatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Camponotus
Species: C. arenatus
Binomial name
Camponotus arenatus
Shattuck & McArthur, 2002

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Specimen Labels

This uncommon species is known from a limited number of minor workers. It ranges from south-central South Australia, north to southern Northern Territory and west-central Western Australia. The only biological information is provided by the single worker collected by B. B. Lowery. It was swept from mallee on red sand.

Identification

Tibiae and scapes lacking erect hairs. In minor workers metanotal groove depressed below level of the anterior region of the propodeum; dorsal surface of node broadly convex, its anterior face much shorter than the posterior face. Dorsal and anterior regions of the pronotum dark red-black, distinctly darker than the yellow-red mesonotum and propodeum. This species is superficially similar to Camponotus donnellani in overall colour pattern but differs in the larger size of the minor worker and the depressed metanotal groove.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -23.83333333° to -33.68333°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

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.

  • arenatus. Camponotus arenatus Shattuck & McArthur, 2002: 66, figs. 2-4 (w.) AUSTRALIA (South Australia, Northern Territory, Western Australia).
    • Status as species: McArthur, 2007a: 312; McArthur, 2010: 52; McArthur, 2014: 162.

Type Material

Description

Anterior clypeal margin broadly convex. Dorsal surface of pronotum weakly convex and separated from the weakly convex mesonotum by a shallow angle; metanotal groove slightly but distinctly depressed below the level of the anterior propodeum; propodeum uniformly and weakly convex and without a distinct angle, ratio of dorsum to declivity about 1.5. Petiolar node with a short anterior face which is weakly differentiated from the broadly convex upper surface, the rear face indistinguishable from the upper surface. Erect hairs moderately abundant on all surfaces of the head and dorsal surfaces of the mesosoma, petiolar node and gaster, absent from scapes and tibiae. Head and anterior regions of pronotum black, posterolateral pronotum (immediately above the fore coxae), mesonotum, propodeum, petiole and legs yellow-red, gaster varying from entirely yellow-red to a combination of the yellow-red anteriorly and red-black posteriorly.

Measurements

Minor worker (n=5). CI 0.77 — 0.79; HL 1.94mm — 2.20mm; HW 1.50mm — 1.74mm; ML 3.45mm — 3.81mm; MTL 2.26mm — 2.47mm; SI 1.49 — 1.59; SL 2.38mm — 2.59mm.

Etymology

From arena, alluding to the sandy nature of the known collection sites of this species.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Greenslade P., S. Florentine, and G. Horrocks. 2012. Long term effect of fire, flood and grazing on invertebrates in Australia’s arid zone: Collembola and Formicidae. Soil Organisms 84(3): 569-587.
  • McArthur A. 2010. A guide to Camponotus ants of South Australia. Adelaide: South Australian Museum, IV + 121 pp.
  • Shattuck S. O., A . J. McArthur. 2002. A taxonomic revision of the Camponotus wiederkehri and perjurus species-groups (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 126: 63-90.