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Camponotus rotrae
| Camponotus rotrae | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Camponotini |
| Genus: | Camponotus |
| Subgenus: | Myrmosaga |
| Species: | C. rotrae |
| Binomial name | |
| Camponotus rotrae Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022
| |
Endemic to Madagascar, C. rotrae is geographically limited to the south-central high plateau of Madagascar. The species occupies montane rainforests of the PN Andringitra, gallery forest and grassland of the PN Isalo, savannah woodland of Itremo, and relict montane rainforest of the Forêt Classée d’Analavelona. The species nests mainly in rotten logs and under stones. Based on collection data, workers most often forage on the ground and rarely on lower vegetation.
Identification
Rakotonirina and Fisher (2022) - In full-face view, lateral margins of head anterior to eye level diverging posteriorly; anterior clypeal margin truncate; two pairs of white spots present on second and third abdominal tergites; pronotum, mesonotum, and propodeum not forming separate convexities, metanotal groove not depressed; propodeum immediately in junction with promesonotum; propodeal dorsum straight.
See Camponotus gibber for additional details.
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
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- rotrae. Camponotus rotrae Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022: 157, figs. 39A, 72 (s.w.) MADAGASCAR.
- Type-material: holotype worker (caste not indicated), 1 paratype major worker.
- Type-locality: holotype Madagascar: Fianarantsoa, PN Isalo, 9.1 km. 354° N Ranohira, -22.48167, 45.46167, 725 m., 27-31.i.2003, BLF07331 (B.L. Fisher,C.E. Griswold, et al.); paratype with same data.
- 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
Worker
Morphological measurements: see Appendix 1 and Ratios of morphometric data for majors and minors
Minor In full-face view, lateral margin of head diverging posteriorly towards level of eye, rounding evenly to posterior margin behind eye level; eye protruding and small (EL/CS: 0.24±0.01; 0.22–0.26), not interrupting lateral cephalic border, level of its posterior margin located approximately at posterior 1/4 of head (PoOc/CL: 0.25±0.01; 0.23–0.25); frontal carinae wide (FR/CS: 0.31±0.01; 0.29–0.33), posteriorly diverging, distance between them larger than their smallest distance to eye; clypeus with anterolateral angle and straight anteromedian margin; two apical teeth of mandible normally distant; antennal scape relatively long (SL/CS: 1.19±0.05; 1.08–1.27). Promesonotum weakly convex, mesopropodeum almost flat; metanotal groove barely visible or indistinct; propodeal dorsum nearly straight, its junction to declivity bluntly angulate; propodeal dorsum two and a 1/2 times as long as declivity. Petiolar node short and high, with dorsal margin inclined posteriorly and rounding to anterior margin; anterior and posterior faces at almost the same height; femur of hind leg rounded axially, not twisted near base.
First and second gastral tergites with a pair of white spots; lateral margin of head without erect hairs; two erect hairs present near posterior margin of head; antennal scape covered only with appressed hairs; pronotum with few erect hairs; mesonotum with one pair of erect hairs; posterodorsal corner of propodeum with two pairs of erect hairs. Body color shining brown to dark-brown; apical portion of appendages with lighter color.
Major Differing from minor worker in the following characters: larger head (CS: 2.29±0.17; 2.03–2.42; CWb/CL: 1.03±0.01; 1.02–1.04) with more or less straight posterior margin; apical 1/5 of antennal scape surpassing posterior cephalic margin; in lateral view, mesosoma characterized by even convexity of pronotum and mesonotum, separated from propodeum by distinct metanotum; propodeal dorsum strongly sloping to declivity surface and two and a 1/2 times as long as declivity.
Type Material
- Holotype worker. MADAGASCAR: Province Fianarantsoa: PN Isalo, 9.1 km 354° N Ranohira, -22.48167, 45.46167, 725 m, gallery forest, ex rotten log, 27–31 Jan 2003 (Fisher, Griswold et al.) collection code: BLF07331, specimen code: CASENT0485625 (CAS).
- Paratype. 1 major worker of same data as holotype but specimen coded as: CASENT0485628 (CAS).
Etymology
The species name rotrae is a non-Latin singular noun used in apposition.