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Camponotus bemaheva
| Camponotus bemaheva | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Camponotini |
| Genus: | Camponotus |
| Subgenus: | Myrmosaga |
| Species: | C. bemaheva |
| Binomial name | |
| Camponotus bemaheva Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022
| |
Camponotus bemaheva is restricted to the spiny bush and thicket of the southern region and the dry forest habitats of western Madagascar. The few colony nests that have been found were collected from rotten logs and under stones, but workers have been collected while foraging on the ground or on low vegetation.
Identification
Rakotonirina and Fisher (2022) - In full-face view, lateral cephalic margins converge posteriorly towards eye level and without erect hairs posterior to eye level; two apical teeth of mandible positioned close to each other.
Workers of C. bemaheva look very similar to those of Camponotus daraina in that they have closely spaced apical teeth on the mandibles and the lateral margins of their head converge posteriorly towards eye level, but the latter is characterized by the presence of erect hairs on the lateral cephalic margin posterior to eye level.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar (type locality).
Distribution based on AntMaps
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
Only known from the minor worker caste.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- bemaheva. Camponotus bemaheva Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022: 55, figs. 7B, 13A, 46 (w.) MADAGASCAR.
- Type-material: holotype minor worker.
- Type-locality: Madagascar: Toliara, PN Zombitse, 19.8 km. 84° E Sakaraha, -22.84333, 44.71, 770 m., 5-9.ii.2003, BLF07507 (B.L. Fisher, C.E. Griswold, et al.).
- Type-depository: CASC.
- Distribution: Madagascar.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Morphological measurements: see Appendix 1 and Ratios of morphometric data for majors and minors
Minor In full-face view, head sides converging progressively towards posterior margin; eye convex and large (EL/CL: 0.30±0.01; 0.29–0.34), breaking lateral cephalic borders, level of its posterior margin generally situated at posterior 1/3 to 1/4 of head (PoOc/CL: 0.26±0.01; 0.24–0.28); frontal carinae posteriorly parallel to each other (FR/CS: 0.26±0.01 0.25–0.29); clypeus without well-defined anterolateral angle and with broadly convex anteromedian margin; mandible with six teeth, of which the two apical are close together; antennal scape relatively long (SL/CS: 1.63±0.10; 1.47–1.87) with suberect hairs inclined 30° and pubescence. Promesonotum weakly convex, mesopropodeum almost flat, mesonotum flat immediately anterior to metanotal groove; metanotal groove weakly visible; propodeal dorsum anteriorly convex and posteriorly flat; junction of dorsal margin to declivity rounded; propodeal declivity height 1/2 length of propodeal dorsum; petiole nodiform, its dorsal margin rounding to anterior margin; anterior face 1/2 height of posterior face; tibia of hind leg rounded, not twisted basally.
First and second gastral tergites without a pair of white spots; erect hairs covering lateral margin of head anterior to eye level but absent behind eyes; posterior margin of head with more than six erect hairs; antennal scape with suberect hairs inclined at ca. 30° and pubescence; posterodorsal angle of propodeum with a pair of erect hairs.
Type Material
- Holotype worker. MADAGASCAR: Province Toliara: PN Zombitse, 19.8 km 84° E Sakaraha, -22.84333, 44.71, 770 m, tropical dry forest, pitfall trap (Fisher, Griswold et al.) 05–09 Feb 2003, collection code: BLF07507, specimen code: CASENT0050097 (CAS).
Etymology
The new species bemaheva is a non-Latin proper noun used in apposition and is named in honor of Fidelis Bemaheva for his help collecting ants in the Malagasy region.