Camponotus planus hephaestus

Camponotus planus hephaestus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Camponotini
Genus:	Camponotus
Species:	C. planus
Subspecies:	C. planus hephaestus
Trinomial name
Camponotus planus hephaestus Wheeler, W.M., 1933

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Ecuador, Galapagos Islands (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.

Nomenclature

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

• hephaestus. Camponotus (Myrmocladoecus) planus var. hephaestus Wheeler, W.M. 1933a: 59 (s.w.) ECUADOR (Galapagos Is).
  • Type-material: 4 syntype major workers, 10 syntype minor workers.
  • Type-locality: 4 major, 4 minor workers Ecuador: Galapagos Is, Albemarle I. (= Isabela I.), Iguana Cove, 21-22.v.1932 (M. Willows), 6 minor workers Galapagos Is, Albemarle I., 28.iv.1932 (M. Willows).
  • Type-depository: MCZC.
  • Subspecies of planus: Wheeler, W.M. 1935g: 44; Linsley & Usinger, 1966: 176; Kempf, 1972a: 55; Bolton, 1995b: 103; Herrera, Tocora, et al. 2024: 168.
  • Distribution: Ecuador (Galapagos).

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

Description

Worker

Minor Differing from the minor worker of the var. isabelensis in having somewhat longer antennal scapes, in the darker red color of the legs and antennae and the more abundant gastric pile, which is like that of the major worker.

Major Differing from the var. isabelensis Wheeler and resembling the var. fernandensis Wheeler in the shape of the head, which has the sides nearly straight and converging anteriorly, instead of convex and rounded. There are no erect hairs on the cheeks as in isabelensis. The mesoepinotal impression is deeper and the superior border of the petiolar scale is sharper and more rounded than in either of these varieties; the pilosity and pubescence on the gaster is longer and somewhat more abundant, the coxae, except at their tips, black.

Type Material

Described from four major workers (V.22.'32) and four minor workers (V.21.'32; V.22.'32) from Iguana Cove, Albemarle Island and six minor workers (IV.28.'32) which are simply labelled "Albemarle," but which, owing to their dark appendages, evidently belong to this variety. There are therefore two varieties of planus isabelensis and hephaestus) on Albemarle Island, just as there are two (indefessus and santacruzensis) on Indefatigable Island. Lectotype, C.A.S., Ent. No. 3690, major worker.

References

• Wheeler, W. M. 1933a. The Templeton Crocker Expedition of the California Academy of Sciences, 1932. No. 6. Formicidae of the Templeton Crocker Expedition. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. (4) 21: 57-64 (page 59, soldier, worker described)