Camponotus dryandrae

Camponotus dryandrae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Camponotini
Genus:	Camponotus
Species:	C. dryandrae
Binomial name
	Camponotus dryandrae; McArthur, 1996

Very large, widespread species that is common in the Darling Range. Nests in the Darling Range are often found in compacted laterite clay around the boles of trees, but are also made directly into soil. C. dryandrae is found in the south-west and goldfields of Western Australia. (Heterick 2009)

Photo Gallery

A Camponotus dryandrae worker tackles a male Pheidole before dispatching it and quickly dragging it away. A number of times meat ants (Iridomyrmex purpureus) came to investigate, but the Camponotus worker succeeded in keeping her find. Photo taken at Brigadoon, Western Australia, by Farhan Bokhari.
These large ants, this one a major worker, are a common sight at night in the hills around Kalamunda, Perth, Western Australia. Photo by Farhan Bokhari, 31 March 2011.
A minor worker from the hills around Kalamunda, Perth, Western Australia. Photo by Farhan Bokhari, 31 March 2011.
Camponotus dryandrae queen. Photo from Farhan Bokhari.

Identification

A member of the Camponotus nigriceps species group. McArthur and Adams (1996) - Near Camponotus nigriceps incolour and form but with distinct pilosity. C. dryandrae possesses < 10 setae (length> 0.3 mm) on the propodeum, all clustered at the propodeal angle and cover < 50% of propodeal dorsum. In C. nigriceps similar long setae are dense and cover > 50% propodeal dorsum. C. dryandrae can occur in sympatry with C. nigriceps over at least part of its range.

Heterick (2009) - The distribution of erect and sub-erect setae on the propodeum distinguishes Camponotus nigriceps from the similar C. dryandrae; setae being continuous along the propodeal dorsum in C. nigriceps, and concentrated near the propodeal angle in C. dryandrae.

Camponotus prostans and C. dryandrae are very difficult to separate on morphological characters alone. The only reliable feature is the reduced number of setae found on the venter of the head capsule in C. prostans, a feature that requires examination through a microscope. However, in the field their rich reddish- or yellowish-brown-and-black colouration separates most workers of C. dryandrae from the more sober, uniformly blackish or brown-and-black C. prostans.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Central and south-western Australia (McArthur and Adams 1996), common in the Darling Range (Heterick 2009).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -21.8° to -32.15°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (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.

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.

Biology

Castes


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Nomenclature

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

dryandrae. Camponotus dryandrae McArthur, in McArthur & Adams, 1996: 27, fig. 19 (s.w.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
- Type-material: holotype major worker, paratype major and minor workers (numbers not stated).
- Type-locality: holotype Australia: Western Australia, Dryandra State Forest, xi.1992 (M. Adams); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: SAMA (holotype); ANIC, SAMA, WAMP (paratypes).
- Status as species: McArthur, 2007a: 306; Heterick, 2009: 63; McArthur, 2014: 82.
- Distribution: Australia.

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

Description

Colour: head black, rnesosoma, node, coxa and femur red brown, gaster black sometimes with a trace of red-brown proximal to the node, tarsi slightly darker than tibia. Pilosity: up to 0.4 mm long, plentiful on pronotum, less on mesonotum and 5-10 on propodeum, clustered near angle (Fig. 19a, b), plentiful but shorter on gula, plentiful on gaster pointing backwards, short setae on scapes raised to 20°, short setae on midtibiae raised to 30°. Pubescence: suberect setae about 0.1 mm long, spaced < length, visible on the dorsum of mesosoma, more adpressed on head. Integument finely reticulate, glossy. Node summit viewed from rear: flatly convex, in major workers sometimes slightly concave. Metanotum usually distinct in major workers.

HW = 1.40-3.75 mm; TL = 2.60-3.53 mm; n = 10. TL = 2.34 +1.65 log HW (n = 10, r = 0.93, s.e.(y) = 0.16, s.e.(x). = 0.07). PD:D = 1.5 m major workers increasing to 3.0 in minor workers.

Type Material

Holotype. One major worker (pinned) South Australian Museum plus paratypcs in alcohol, SAMA, Australian National Insect Collection, Western Australian Museum. Collected by M. Adams, Nov. 1992, from Dryandra Slate Forest, Western Australia.

Holotype, major worker, Dryandra State Forest, Western Australia, Australia, South Australian Museum.

Etymology

This species is named after Dryandra State Forest, Western Australia, from where it was first collected. Robert Brown of the Flinders Expedition named the genus of plants after Dryander, a contemporary botanist.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

McArthur A. J., and M. Adams. 1996. A morphological and molecular revision of the Camponotus nigriceps group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Australia. Invertebr. Taxon. 10: 1-46.