Camponotus ethicus

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Camponotus ethicus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Camponotus
Subgenus: Mayria
Species group: robustus
Species: C. ethicus
Binomial name
Camponotus ethicus
Forel, 1897

Camponotus ethicus casent0101388 profile 1.jpg

Camponotus ethicus casent0101388 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Known from the dry forests of the Parc National Sahamalaza and the Reserve Spéciale Ambre, and the transitional rainforest of the Galoko Chain in the northwestern part of Madagascar, C. ethicus is arboreal, forages most often on lower vegetation, and nests in dead branches above the ground. (Rakotonirina et al. 2016)

Identification

Rakotonirina et al. (2016) - A member of the Camponotus edmondi species group. Larger species (CS: 1.92–2.58; ML: 3.49–4.18) with uniformly black to dark brown body color; in profile anterior margin of petiolar node convex and posterior margin straight; level of the propodeal dorsum abruptly lower than level of the promesonotal dorsum; pronotal dorsum without numerous erect hairs; humeral angle extended anteriorly into a narrow ridge.

The lower level of the propodeal dorsum relative to the promesonotum and the larger body size combined with the dark color of the legs make C. ethicus easy to separate from Camponotus robustus and the rest of the species in the edmondi group.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -12.46889° to -14.30889°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Malagasy Region: Madagascar (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

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Camponotus ethicus casent0101389 head 1.jpgCamponotus ethicus casent0101389 profile 1.jpgCamponotus ethicus casent0101389 dorsal 1.jpgCamponotus ethicus casent0101389 label 1.jpg
Lectotype of Camponotus ethicusWorker. Specimen code casent0101389. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.
Camponotus ethicus casent0101176 head 1.jpgCamponotus ethicus casent0101176 profile 1.jpgCamponotus ethicus casent0101176 dorsal 1.jpgCamponotus ethicus casent0101176 label 1.jpg
Paralectotype of Camponotus ethicusWorker. Specimen code casent0101176. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMB, Basel, Switzerland.

Male

Images from AntWeb

Camponotus ethicus casent0101387 head 1.jpgCamponotus ethicus casent0101387 profile 1.jpgCamponotus ethicus casent0101387 dorsal 1.jpgCamponotus ethicus casent0101387 label 1.jpg
Paralectotype of Camponotus ethicusMale (alate). Specimen code casent0101387. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.
Camponotus ethicus casent0101177 head 1.jpgCamponotus ethicus casent0101177 dorsal 1.jpgCamponotus ethicus casent0101177 label 1.jpg
Paralectotype of Camponotus ethicusMale (alate). Specimen code casent0101177. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMB, Basel, Switzerland.

Nomenclature

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

  • ethicus. Camponotus ethicus Forel, 1897c: 200 (w.m.) MADAGASCAR.
    • Combination in C. (Myrmentoma): Forel, 1912i: 92;
    • combination in C. (Orthonotomyrmex): Forel, 1914a: 273;
    • combination in C. (Myrmisolepis): Santschi, 1921f: 310;
    • combination in C. (Myrmepinotus): Emery, 1925b: 127.
    • Rakotonirina, et al. 2016: 124 (s.).
    • Status as species: Emery, 1898a: 227; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1049; Emery, 1925b: 127; Bolton, 1995b: 98; Rakotonirina, et al. 2016: 122 (redescription).

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

Description

Worker

Rakotonirina et al. (2016) - Minor. In full-face view head subquadrate (CWb/CL: 0.87–0.89), slightly diverging posteriorly; posterior margin more or less straight. Eyes not breaking lateral outline of head, their posterior level located at posterior fifth portion of head (PoOc/CL: 0.21–0.25). Anterior clypeal margin straight; posterior margin weakly notched medially. Mandible triangular, apical margin armed with six sharp teeth. Antennal scape long, apical half surpassing posterior cephalic margin. Pronotal dorsum flat, anterodorsal corner projecting anteriorly into narrow ridge; anterior margination present; pronotal dorsum and lateral portion anteriorly separated by sharp margination. In dorsal view, mesonotum as long as broad; in profile, mesonotal dorsum inclined posteriorly and propodeal dorsum nearly horizontal and distinctly situated at lower level than promesonotum; mesopleuron and propodeal surface together distinctly longer than lateral portion of pronotum; propodeal dorsum almost horizontal and declivitous surface nearly vertical; propodeal spiracle located anterior to posterolateral margin of propodeum. Width of procoxa larger than width of mesopleuron. In profile anterior margin of petiolar node convex and posterior margin more or less straight. Constriction between abdominal segments III and IV lacking.

Dorsum of head and mesosoma with fine and dense imbrication. Imbricate sculpture much finer and denser on gastral tergites. Mandible imbricate and superimposed with sparse large punctures. Erect hairs lacking on pronotum; one pair present on mesonotum, propodeum near junction of dorsum and declivity, and upper level of lateral margin of petiole. Few pairs of erect hairs on head dorsum from clypeus and edge of frontal lobe to posterior portion of head; several scattered pairs organized transversely on anterior and posterior portions of each gastral tergite; pubescence short and reduced in number. Body coloration black; appendages dark reddish black.

Major. With characteristics of minor worker, except: head much more square (CL/CWb: 1.008–1.08); lateral margins slightly convex. Eyes located more anteriorly, their posterior level on posterior fourth of head (PoOc/CL: 0.227–0.252). One third of apical portion of scape extending beyond posterior cephalic margin. Scattered piligerous punctures present laterally on head from the level of anterior margin of eyes to near base of mandible.

Type Material

  • Lectotype (designated by Rakotonirina, Csősz & Fisher, 2016: 122), minor worker, Antsiranana Province, Sakatia bay, Nosy Be, Madagascar, Voeltzkow, CASENT0101389, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.
  • Paralectotype (designated by Rakotonirina, Csősz & Fisher, 2016: 122), worker, Antsiranana Province, Sakatia bay, Nosy Be, Madagascar, Voeltzkow, CASENT0101388, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.
  • Paralectotype (designated by Rakotonirina, Csősz & Fisher, 2016: 122), worker, Antsiranana Province, Sakatia bay, Nosy Be, Madagascar, Voeltzkow, CASENT0101176, Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel.
  • Paralectotype (designated by Rakotonirina, Csősz & Fisher, 2016: 122), male, Antsiranana Province, Sakatia bay, Nosy Be, Madagascar, Voeltzkow, CASENT0101387, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.
  • Paralectotype (designated by Rakotonirina, Csősz & Fisher, 2016: 122), male, Antsiranana Province, Sakatia bay, Nosy Be, Madagascar, Voeltzkow, CASENT0101177, Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel.

References

  • Emery, C. 1925d. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum 183: 1-302 (page 127, combination in C. (Myrmepinotus))
  • Forel, A. 1897d. Ameisen aus Nossi-Bé, Majunga, Juan de Nova (Madagaskar), den Aldabra-Inseln und Sansibar, gesammelt von Herrn Dr. A. Voeltzkow aus Berlin. Mit einem Anhang über die von Herrn Privatdocenten Dr. A. Brauer in Marburg auf den Seychellen un (page 200, worker, male described)
  • Forel, A. 1912j. Formicides néotropiques. Part VI. 5me sous-famille Camponotinae Forel. Mém. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 20: 59-92 (page 92, combination in C. (Myrmentoma))
  • Forel, A. 1914a. Le genre Camponotus Mayr et les genres voisins. Rev. Suisse Zool. 22: 257-276 (page 273, combination in C. (Orthonotomyrmex))
  • Rakotonirina J.C., Csosz S., and B.L. Fisher. 2016. Revision of the Malagasy Camponotus edmondi species group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Formicinae): integrating qualitative morphology and multivariate morphometric analysis. ZooKeys. 572:81-154. doi:10.3897/zookeys.572.7177
  • Rasoamanana, N., Fisher, B.L. 2022. A taxonomic revision of the Malagasy endemic subgenus Mayria of the genus Camponotus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) based on qualitative morphology and quantitative morphometric analyses. ZooKeys 1081: 137–231 (doi:10.3897/zookeys.1081.71872).
  • Santschi, F. 1921f. Retouches aux sous-genres de Camponotus. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 61: 310-312 (page 310, combination in C. (Myrmisolepis))
  • Wheeler, W. M. 1922k. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. IX. A synonymic list of the ants of the Malagasy region. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 4 45: 1005-1055 (see also)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Fisher B. L. 1997. Biogeography and ecology of the ant fauna of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Natural History 31: 269-302.
  • Fisher B. L. 2003. Formicidae, ants. Pp. 811-819 in: Goodman, S. M.; Benstead, J. P. (eds.) 2003. The natural history of Madagascar. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, xxi + 1709 pp.
  • Forel A. 1897. Ameisen aus Nossi-Bé, Majunga, Juan de Nova (Madagaskar), den Aldabra-Inseln und Sansibar, gesammelt von Herrn Dr. A. Voeltzkow aus Berlin. Mit einem Anhang über die von Herrn Privatdocenten Dr. A. Brauer in Marburg auf den Seychellen und von Herrn Perrot auf Ste. Marie (Madagaskar) gesammelten Ameisen. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 21: 185-208.