Camponotus libanicus

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Camponotus libanicus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Camponotus
Subgenus: Myrmentoma
Species group: kiesenwetteri
Species: C. libanicus
Binomial name
Camponotus libanicus
André, 1881

Camponotus libanicus casent0906053 p 1 high.jpg

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Specimen Labels

Synonyms

Camponotus libanicus populates dry, often semi-desert habitats, building nests in soil (Radchenko 1997). It has been collected from heterogeneous riparian, open or forest habitats such as herbs and bushes at lake shore, stream valleys, bushes at streambanks, shadow valley, marquis, a dry meadow close to dam, a xerothermic meadow, phrygana, and pine forests. It has been also found in agricultural land and urban habitats such as a sowed field next to road, gardens, roadsides, and a parking lot (Salata et al., 2023).

Identification

Salata et al. (2019) - A member of the Camponotus kiesenwetteri species group. Head, mesosoma, and gaster uniformly black; metanotal groove absent; propodeum without posterior protrusion; body densely punctate, appears dull; base of scape without extension; whole body bears long, thick, pale, dense and erect setae, and short appressed microsetae; petiolar scale thick (PI < 1.42).

Camponotus libanicus belongs to the species with mesosoma evenly convex in profile, not interrupted by the metanotal groove. It is very similar to Camponotus aegaeus and differs by having a thick petiolar scale with PI < 1.42, which in C. aegaeus is thinner at PI > 1.50. See also comments in C. aegaeus.

Ionescu-Hirsch (2009) - Israeli specimens show much greater variability of size than that described in Tohmé’s (1969b) redescription of the species, i.e., they are not monomorphic, as stated by Tohmé (1969b). The Israeli specimens vary in size and show allometric relationships between body measures. Major workers (n = 7) have a slightly wider than long head and a short scape (SL/HW = 0.86–1.01), while minor workers (n = 10) have a more elongate head (HW/HL = 0.91–0.96) and a relatively longer scape (SL/HW = 1.04–1.13). Petiolar scale thickness of C. libanicus is variable, and its shape in lateral view varies from thin, anteriorly concave proximally and moderately convex distally, to thick and anteriorly strongly convex.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Ionescu-Hirsch (2009) - Eastern Mediterranean to Iran (Radchenko, 1997c; Paknia et al., 2008).

Salata et al. (2019) - Known from Lebanon (André 1881, Tohmé 1969) and Cyprus: Limassol and Girne. It was also recorded from Adana, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Hatay, Karaman, and Mersin provinces in Turkey (Forel 1913; Emery 1915; Bolu and Özgen 2018), Israel (Ionescu-Hirsch 2010) and Iran (Paknia et al. 2010).

The kiesenwetteri species group contains taxa of the subgenus Myrmentoma that are distributed almost exclusively in the Aegean. The two exceptions, Camponotus aegaeus and Camponotus libanicus, collectively extend the group's distributional range into Asia Minor and the Near East. These two species appear to be vicariant taxa, with C. aegaeus to the west and C. libanicus to the east. Niche modeling results showed minimum temperature of the coldest month was the variable that contributed most to the C. libanicus distribution model. Niche modeling for both species show similar areas with high suitability, especially along the south coast of Turkey and Cyprus. However, C. aegaeus has not been recorded from the island.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 38.433333° to 32.38333333°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Cyprus, Greece, Iran, Israel, Lebanon (type locality), Türkiye.

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

Borowiec and Salata (2022) - On Cyprus the species was collected in pine forests, its foraging workers were observed on pine trunks and in inflorescences of Cytisus (Fabaceae) bushes. Nests probably under stones like other species of Camponotus kiesenwetteri complex.

See the Camponotus kiesenwetteri species group page for additional information about the biology of C. libanicus.

Association with Other Organisms

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Associate data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.
  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Aphis craccivora (a trophobiont) (Shiran et al., 2013; Saddiqui et al., 2019).

Castes

Salata et al. 2019. Figure 17-18. Camponotus libanicus major (19) and minor (20).

Nomenclature

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

  • libanicus. Camponotus libanicus André, 1881b: 54, pl. 3, figs. 14, 15 (w.) LEBANON.
    • Type-material: holotype (?) worker.
    • [Note: no indication of number of specimens is given.]
    • Type-locality: Lebanon: Bethméri (Abeille de Perrin).
    • Type-depository: MNHN.
    • Forel, 1889: 261 (w.); Forel, 1911d: 355 (q.); Tohmé, G. 1969: 11 (m.).
    • Combination in C. (Orthonotomyrmex): Forel, 1913d: 435; Santschi, 1921f: 310;
    • combination in C. (Myrmentoma): Emery, 1925b: 121.
    • Status as species: André, 1882a: 148 (in key); Forel, 1889: 261; Dalla Torre, 1893: 239; Emery, 1896d: 376 (in list); Forel, 1911d: 355; Emery, 1925b: 121; Finzi, 1930c: 24; Menozzi, 1936d: 304; Tohmé, G. 1969: 11; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a: 58; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b: 283 (in key); Kugler, J. 1988: 259; Bolton, 1995b: 108; Radchenko, 1996b: 1197 (in key); Radchenko, 1997b: 705; Petrov, 2006: 108 (in key); Paknia, et al. 2008: 153; Vonshak, et al. 2009: 39; Ionescu-Hirsch, 2010: 83; Paknia, et al. 2010: 31; Legakis, 2011: 31; Borowiec, L. & Salata, 2012: 479; Kiran & Karaman, 2012: 7; Karaman, C. & Aktaç, 2013: 50 (in key); Borowiec, L. 2014: 36; Tohmé, G. & Tohmé, 2014: 138; Lebas, et al. 2016: 136; Salata & Borowiec, 2018c: 43; Salata, Loss, et al. 2019: 93; Borowiec, L. & Salata, 2022: 98.
    • Senior synonym of cypria: Salata, Demetriou, et al. 2023c: 14.
    • Senior synonym of nadimi: Salata, Loss, et al. 2019: 93.
    • Senior synonym of sahlbergi: Radchenko, 1996b: 1197 (in key); Radchenko, 1997b: 705; Kiran & Karaman, 2012: 7; Salata, Loss, et al. 2019: 93.
    • Distribution: Cyprus, Greece, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey.
  • cypria. Camponotus (Orthonotomyrmex) kiesenwetteri var. cypria Emery, 1920c: 26 (w.) CYPRUS.
    • Type-material: 4 syntype workers.
    • Type-locality: Cyprus: (no further data) (G. Cecconi).
    • Type-depository: MSNG.
    • Combination in C. (Myrmentoma): Emery, 1925b: 121.
    • Subspecies of kiesenwetteri: Emery, 1925b: 121; Bolton, 1995b: 95.
    • Junior synonym of kiesenwetteri: Salata, Loss, et al. 2019: 92.
    • Junior synonym of libanicus: Salata, Demetriou, et al. 2023c: 14.
  • nadimi. Camponotus (Myrmentoma) nadimi Tohmé, G. 1969: 6, figs. 3, 4 (s.w.) LEBANON.
    • Type-material: syntype major and minor workers (numbers not stated).
    • Type-locality: Lebanon: Kesrouan (Mt Liban, 450 m.), Antoura (G. Tohmé).
    • Type-depository: unknown (perhaps MNHN or ULBL).
    • Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 112; Vonshak, et al. 2009: 39; Ionescu-Hirsch, 2010: 84; Borowiec, L. 2014: 38; Tohmé, G. & Tohmé, 2014: 138.
    • Junior synonym of libanicus: Salata, Loss, et al. 2019: 93.
  • sahlbergi. Camponotus (Orthonotomyrmex) libanicus r. sahlbergi Forel, 1913d: 435 (s.w.) TURKEY.
    • Type-material: syntype major and minor workers (numbers not stated).
    • Type-locality: Turkey: Bulgar Dagh (J. Sahlberg).
    • Type-depository: MHNG.
    • Combination in C. (Myrmentoma): Emery, 1925b: 121.
    • Subspecies of libanicus: Emery, 1925b: 121; Bolton, 1995b: 121.
    • Junior synonym of libanicus: Radchenko, 1996b: 1197 (in key); Radchenko, 1997b: 705; Kiran & Karaman, 2012: 7.

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

Description

Worker

Ionescu-Hirsch (2009) - TL = 5.1–7.3, HL = 1.31–1.80, HW = 1.21–1.82, EL = 0.32–0.41, SL = 1.35–1.64, ML = 2.19–2.54, PW = 1.17–1.50, mTbL = 1.02–1.39, hTbL = 1.45–1.85 (n = 20). Gyne: TL = 11.6, HL = 2.23, HW = 2.11, EL = 0.51, SL = 1.72, ML = 3.98, PW = 2.09, mTbL = 1.56, hTbL = 2.34 (n = 1).

Borowiec and Salata (2022) - Moderately large, polymorphic; minor worker: HL: 1.095-1.167 (mean 1.137); HW: 0.959-1.037 (mean 0.985); SL: 1.095-1.183 (mean 1.143); EL: 0.286-0.308 (mean 0.297); ML: 1.71-1.80; MW: 0.95-0.97. Color. Body black, only anterior margin of pronotum and apical half of mandibles yellowish to yellowish brown and posterior margins of gastral tergites whitish yellow; antennae yellow, sometimes apical 2-4 segments of funiculus slightly infuscate; coxa brown to black, femora and tibiae brown, dark brown to almost black, apex of tibiae often yellowish to yellowish brown, tarsi from yellow to brown, basitarsus often darker than subsequent tarsomeres. Head. Stout, 1.1-1.2 times longer than wide, in front of eyes softly converging anterad, behind eyes regularly rounded, posterior margin slightly convex. Clypeus trapezoidal, with anterior margin slightly convex and sometimes slightly crenulate, without median emargination, posterior margin in the middle emarginate by frontal triangle, whole surface distinctly microreticulated, surface opalescent dull, covered with sparse and short, hardly visible appressed hairs, anterior margin with a row of 6-8 very long setae and between long setae with very short setae, whole Clypeus with several moderately long and long erected setae. Head distinctly microreticulate, surface opalescent dull, frons with well-marked impunctate line, whole surface, including gena and sides of head with sparse and short, hardly visible appressed hairs and long erected setae but occipital area without or with 2-4 erected setae, ventral side of head with several moderately long to long erected setae. Scape moderately long, 1.1-1.2 times as long as width of head, at apex twice wider than in base, its surface diffusely to distinctly microreticulate, shiny, with very short and sparse appressed pubescence, without decumbent hairs or erected setae. Funicular segments elongate, thin, first segment 2.8 times as long as wide and approximately 1.8 times as long as second segment, third segment distinctly longer than second, the rest of funicular segments distinctly longer than broad. Eyes moderately big, almost round, 0.26 length of head. Mandibles stout, elongate punctate, surface shiny. Mesosoma. Moderately elongate, 1.8-1.9 times as long as wide, dorsally and laterally with strong microsculpture, surface from indistinctly shiny to slightly dull. In lateral view dorsum form regular arch, without mesonotal groove, propodeum forms distinct, almost straight angle, posterior face of propodeum deeply excavate. Surface of mesosoma with short and scarce depressed hairs, pronotum with 6-16 erected setae, mesonotum with 4-12, propodeum with 14-22 moderately long to long erected setae, the longest with length to 0.286. Waist and gaster. Petiolar scale thin and broad in anterior view, PI < 1.42, anterior face strongly convex, posterior face flat, apex rounded; anterior and posterior surface microreticulate, sculpture tends to form transverse striation, without pubescence, apical crest with 6-10 moderately long and very long erected setae. Gaster shorter than mesosoma, tergites with strong microreticulation, surface opalescent dull, covered with moderately long but scarce appressed hairs; each tergite with numerous, very long erected setae. Legs. Moderately elongate, hind femora shorter than mesosoma, surface of legs covered with short and sparse appressed hairs, inner margin of hind tibiae with row of 2-4 thorns. Ventral surface of fore femora with 3-6 long erected setae.

Major worker: Large, HL: 1.571-1.820 (mean 1.704); HW: 1.437-1.650 (mean 1.549); SL: 1.381-1.492 (mean 1.434); EL: 0.346-0.378 (mean 0.366); ML: 2.10-2.34; MW: 1.19- 1.34. Body color and sculpture as in minor workers but apex of antennal scapus and apical half of funiculus often indistinctly infuscated. Head stouter, 1.1 times as long as wide, sides of head softly convex, posterior margin often straight. Scapus shorter, approximately 0.9 times as long as width of head. Eyes relatively smaller, 0.21 times as long of head. Setation more numerous than in minor workers, present also in occipital corners. Setae on all mesosomal segments numerous, more than 20, petiolar crest with 14-16 very long setae and few additional short setae. Ventral surface of fore femora with 8-12 long erected setae.

Type Material

Syntype worker, Lebanon (Musee National d'Histoire Naturelle) (Syntype worker AntWeb, CASENT0913700)

Taxonomic Notes

Seifert (2019): This taxon has been described from Lebanon. The type specimens depicted in antweb.org under CASENT0913700 shows an absent metanotal depression, a very convex overall dorsal profile line of mesosoma as well as a much stronger sculpture and much denser pubescence on all body surfaces than observed in any member of the C. lateralis group.

Salata et al. (2023): Camponotus kiesenwetteri var. cypria Emery, 1920 was recently synonymized with Camponotus kiesenwetteri (Roger, 1859) by Salata et al. (2019). However, the reexamination of the syntype worker preserved in Genoa Museum showed that the specimen bears characteristics typical for C. libanicus (regularly arched mesosoma in lateral with almost absent metanotal groove, black gaster, and thick petiolar scale). Additionally, the material recently collected in Cyprus confirmed that the only representative of the kiesenwetteri group present on the island is C. libanicus. Thus, considering the morphological and geographical evidence, we consider Camponotus kiesenwetteri cypria a junior synonym of C. libanicus.

Determination Clarifications

Salata et al. (2019) - A record from Greece: Aegean Islands by Legakis (2011), based on unpublished manuscript (Taylor and Clee 2008), is likely based on a misidentification. Recent research on the ant fauna of the Aegean Islands has not confirmed the occurrence of this species in Greece. Additionally, an old record from İzmir in Turkey (Forel 1911) is doubtful. It was published before the description of C. aegaeus and it is located 500 km West of all the recently known localities of this species.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolu H., and I. Ozgen. 2018. Some observation about Formicidae (Hymenoptera) in almond agroecosystems in East-Southeast Anatolian region of Turkey. Mun. Ent. Zool. 13(2): 495-498.
  • Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
  • Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2012. Ants of Greece - Checklist, comments and new faunistic data (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus 23(4): 461-563.
  • Emery, C.. "Escursioni zoologiche del Dr. Enrico Festa nell'Isola di Rodi. XII. Formiche." Bollettino del Museo di Zoologia ed Anatomia Comparatadella Reale Università di Torino 30 (1915): 1-7.
  • Finzi B. 1930. Hymenopteren aus Palästina und Syrien. (Zoologische Studienreise von R. Ebner 1928 mit Unterstützung der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien.) Formicidae. Sitzungsberichte der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse. Abteilung I 139:22-24.
  • Forel A. 1911. Fourmis nouvelles ou intéressantes. Bull. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat. 47: 331-400.
  • Forel, A.. "Ameisen aus den Sporaden, den Cykladen und Griechenland, gesammelt 1887 von Herrn von Oertzen." Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 32 (1889): 255-265.
  • Forel, A.. "Fourmis de la faune méditerranéenne récoltées par MM. U. et J. Sahlberg." Revue Suisse de Zoologie 21 (1913): 427-438.
  • Ionescu-Hirsch A. 2009. An annotated list of Camponotus of Israel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a key and descriptions of new species. ISRAEL JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY 39: 57–98.
  • Kiran K., and C. Karaman. 2012. First annotated checklist of the ant fauna of Turkey (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 3548: 1-38.
  • Kugler J. 1988. The zoogeography of Israel. 9. The zoogeography of social insects of Israel and Sinai. Monographiae biologicae 62: 251-275.
  • Paknia O., A. Radchenko, H. Alipanah, and M. Pfeiffer. 2008. A preliminary checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Iran. Myrmecological News 11: 151-159.
  • Paknia, O., A. G. Radchenko, and M. Pfeiffer. "New records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Iran." Asian Myrmecology 3, no. 29-38 (2010).
  • Radchenko A. G. 1997. A review of ants of the subgenus Myrmentoma, Genus Camponotus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), from Asian Palaearctic. Entomological Review 77(8): 1050-1059.
  • Salata S., A. C. Loss, C. Karaman, K. Kiran, and L. Borowiec. 2019. Review of the Camponotus kiesenwetteri group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the Aegean with the description of a new species. ZooKeys 899: 85-107.
  • Salata S., and L. Borowiec. 2018. Taxonomic and faunistic notes on Greek ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 27: 1-51.
  • Seifert B. 2019. A taxonomic revision of the members of the Camponotus lateralis species group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Europe, Asia Minor and Caucasia. Soil Organisms 91:7–32.
  • Shiran E., M. S. Mossadegh, and M. Esfandiari. 2012. Mutualistic ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) associated with aphids in central and southwestern parts of Iran. J. Crop Prot. 2013, 2 (1): 1-12.
  • Tohme G. 1996. Formicidae. Etude de la diversité biologique n° 4 . Ministère de l’Agriculture à Beyrouth (Eds.). P85-87.
  • Tohmé, G.. "Description d'espèces nouvelles de fourmis au Liban (Hymenoptera Formicoidea)." Publications de l'Universite Libanaise, Section des Sciences Naturelles 7 (1969): 1-15.
  • Vonshak M., and A. Ionescu-Hirsch. 2009. A checklist of the ants of Israel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Israel Journal of Entomology 39: 33-55.
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