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Camponotus mahafaly
| Camponotus mahafaly | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Camponotini |
| Genus: | Camponotus |
| Subgenus: | Myrmosaga |
| Species: | C. mahafaly |
| Binomial name | |
| Camponotus mahafaly Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022
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Camponotus mahafaly is geographically restricted to dry forest and spiny bush and forest habitats of the southwest and south of Madagascar. Nest sites are generally located in rotten logs, and foraging occurs on the surface of the ground.
Identification
Rakotonirina and Fisher (2022) - With head in full-face view, lateral margins of head anterior to eye level parallel and lacking erect hairs, lateral and anteromedian clypeal margins continuously forming broad convexity; scape without erect hairs; mesosoma long and low; body color yellowish to brown.
Camponotus mahafaly might be confounded with Camponotus cemeryi because the petiole of both species is not nodelike, but in the latter species the antennal scape is covered with suberect hairs and the mesosoma is generally short and high, with a dorsal outline that is strongly convex.
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
Known only from the minor caste.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- mahafaly. Camponotus mahafaly Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022: 127, figs. 15A, 16B, 20A, 66 (w.) MADAGASCAR.
- Type-material: holotype minor worker, 2 paratype minor workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Madagascar: Toliara, Androy Region, Tsihombe Dist., 74 km. S Tsihombe, Rés. Spéc. Cap Ste Marie, -25.58767, 45.163, 36 m., 30.iv.-11.v..2003, Malaise trap (no collection code given) (Rin’ha, Mike); paratypes with same data but collection codes MG-23-33, MG-23-34.
- 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
Morphological measurements: see Appendix 1 and Ratios of morphometric data for majors and minors
Minor In full-face view, head sides anterior to level of eye parallel, rounding evenly to posterior margin behind eye level; eye protruding and large (EL/CS: 0.32±0.01; 0.30–0.35), breaking lateral cephalic margin, level of its posterior margin situated approximately at posterior 1/4 of head (PoOc/CL: 0.23±0.01; 0.20–0.24); frontal carinae close to each other (FR/CS: 0.27±0.01; 0.25–0.28), posteriorly parallel, distance between them smaller than their smallest distance to eye; clypeus without well-defined anterolateral angle, its anteromedian margin broadly convex; mandible with two apical teeth normally spaced; antennal scape relatively long (SL/CS: 1.40±0.04; 1.33–1.45). Promesonotum weakly convex; mesonotum with posterior portion flat immediately anterior to weakly visible metanotal groove; propodeal dorsum almost straight (MPH/ML: 0.37±0.03; 0.34–0.50); rounding to declivity, 2 × as long as declivity. Petiolar node short and high, with dorsal margin inclined posteriorly, rounding to anterior margin; height of anterior face 2/3 of that of posterior face; femur of hind leg rounded axially, without twist near base.
First and second gastral tergites without a pair of white spots; lateral margin of head anterior to eye level, with no erect hairs posterior to eye level; two erect hairs present close to posterior margin; antennal scape covered only with appressed hairs; erect hairs lacking on promesonotum; posterodorsal corner of propodeum with a pair of erect hairs. Integument shining; body color yellowish.
Type Material
- Holotype worker. MADAGASCAR: Province Toliara: Androy Region, District of Tsihombe, 74 km S of Tsihombe, Reserve Speciale Cap Ste Marie, -25.58767, 45.163, 36 m, spiny bush, Malaise trap, 30 Apr–11 May 2003, (Rin’ha, Mike) CASENT0115206 (CAS).
- Paratypes. 2 minor workers of same data as holotype but respectively with collection codes: MG-23-34 and MG-23-33 and specimen codes: CASENT0115287 and CASENT0115718 (CAS).
Etymology
The species name mahafaly is a singular non-Latin noun used in apposition and refers to the Mahafaly region in the southwest of Madagascar.