Camponotus tergestinus

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Camponotus tergestinus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Camponotus
Subgenus: Myrmentoma
Species group: fallax
Species: C. tergestinus
Binomial name
Camponotus tergestinus
Müller, 1921

Camponotus tergestinus casent0010030 p 1 high.jpg

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Specimen Labels

Camponotus tergestinus is an arboricolous species, nesting in trunk cavities or large branches in the tree canopy, as already indicated by other authors (Wiezik & Wieziková 2013). As it nests and forages in trees, it can be defined as a true arboricolous species (Seifert 2008). Moreover, we assume that C. tergestinus is associated with oaks. Oaks are constantly reported in relation to previous records of C. tergestinus (Müller 1921, Ionescu-Hirsch et al. 2009, Lapeva-Gjonova & Kiran 2012, Wiezik & Wieziková 2013). One exception is the record of a single specimen from Paklenica NP (Croatia), where a beech forest is mentioned as habitat (Ješovnik et al. 2011). It is quite possible, however, that this specimen of C. tergestinus was accidentally collected in a lower section of the Park, where oaks are more common (A. Ješovnik & M. Zec, pers. comm. 2017). In general, different Quercus species, especially old trees with rough bark and cavities, are preferentially inhabited by several other arboricolous ant species, e.g. Camponotus fallax, Colobopsis truncata, Dolichoderus quadripunctatus, Temnothorax affinis, Temnothorax corticalis (Schenck, 1852) (Buschinger 1993, Seifert 2007, 2008). Based on the present and previous findings, C. tergestinus can be considered a thermophilous species, preferring warm habitats where oaks are present. (Bracko, 2017)


Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Marko et al. (2009) - This species shows a scattered distribution. It is currently known from a few locations in Italy (F. Rigato pers. comm.), from Slovenia (Bračko 2007), Hungary (Ionescu-Hirsch et al. 2009) and from the European part of Turkey (Agosti and Collingwood 1987a).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 47.622° to 42.05277778°.

 
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy (type locality), Romania, Slovenia, 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) - Arboricolous, associated with deciduous trees, especially oaks. In Slovenia nesting on a Turkey oak (Quercus cerris). The tree was approximately 15 m high, standing in the meadow/pasture with other scattered oaks. The nest was located in a tree knot on the trunk at the height of 2.2 m and had two entrances 3 cm apart with diameters of 6 mm and 3 mm, respectively. In other cases discovered colony was located in a burl on one of oak’s four main branches at the height of 3.2 m. The nest had two entrances 15 cm apart with diameter of approximately 5 mm each (Bračko 2017).

Castes

Worker

  • Borowiec and Salata 2022. Figures 49.5-6, minor, major. Photographed by Lech Borowiec.
  • Borowiec and Salata 2022. Figures 49.1-2, minor. Photographed by Lech Borowiec.
  • Borowiec and Salata 2022. Figures 49.3-4, major. Photographed by Lech Borowiec.

Nomenclature

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

  • tergestinus. Camponotus tergestinus Müller, 1921: 46 (w.q.) ITALY.
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “numerous”), 1 syntype queen.
    • Type-locality: workers Italy: vic. Trieste, Coloncavez, ii.1920 (G. Müller), queen Italy: Carso di Trieste, Lipizza woods, 22.iii.1908 (G. Müller).
    • Type-depository: MSNT (perhaps also MSNG).
    • Combination in C. (Myrmentoma): Emery, 1925b: 119.
    • Status as species: Müller, 1923a: 73; Müller, 1923b: 161; Emery, 1925b: 119; Menozzi, 1928a: 129; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 196; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a: 59; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b: 283 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 126; Poldi, et al. 1995: 7; Petrov, 2006: 108 (in key); Bračko, 2007: 19; Ionescu-Hirsch, et al. 2009: 20; Csösz, et al. 2011: 58; Kiran & Karaman, 2012: 8; Karaman, C. & Aktaç, 2013: 51 (in key); Borowiec, L. 2014: 43; Lebas, et al. 2016: 134; Seifert, 2018: 261; Borowiec, L. & Salata, 2022: 108.
    • Distribution: Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey.

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

Description

Worker

Borowiec and Salata (2022) - Large, moderately polymorphic; HL: 1.980-2.500 (mean 2.278); HW: 1.550-2.433 (mean 2.075); SL: 1.780-2.2020 (mean 1.916); EL: 0.452-0.548 (mean 0.506); ML: 2.76-3.48; MW: 1.19-1.72. Color. Head, mesosoma and petiole dark brown to black, often clypeus partly yellowish to brown and gena with yellow to brown spots, gaster predominantly blakc only anterior slope of first gastral tergite yellowish to yellowish brown and posterior margins of tergites transparent yellow, antennal scapus yellowish to brown, funicle yellowish, yellowish brown or brown, legs uniformly yellow or femora yellow, tibiae and tarsi yellowish brown to brown. Head. In minor workers elongate, 1.3 times longer than wide, in front of eyes softly rounded, behind eyes regularly rounded, posterior margin straight, in major workers head stout, as long as wide, more rounded on sides than in minor workers, posterior margin shallowly concave. Clypeus almost rectangular, with anterior margin straight but broadly, shallowly emarginate, posterior margin in the middle emarginate by frontal triangle, whole surface distinctly microreticulated but indistinctly shiny, covered with sparse and short, hardly visible appressed hairs, anterior margin with a row of 4-6 very long setae, also sides and basal part of clypeus with short to long erected setae. Head distinctly microreticulate with coarse but sparse punctation , distance between punctures larger than the diameter of puncture, interspaces appear indistinctly shiny, frons with well-marked median sulcus or impunctate line, whole surface with very short and very sparse appressed hairs. Lateral sides of head and gena with sparse, short erect setae, frons on sides with numerous short to long erected setae, central post ocular area o with 7-10 long erected setae, occipital area with few short erected setae, ventral side of head with numerous short to long erected setae. Scape moderately long, in minor workers 1.3 times longer than width of head, in major workers approximately as long as width of head, at apex twice wider than in base, its surface diffusely microreticulate shiny, with short and sparse subdecumbent to decumbent pubescence, and on anterior face with numerous short erected setae. Funicular segments elongate, thin, first segment 2.7-2.8 times as long as wide and approximately 1.6 times as long as second segment, third segment slightly longer than second, the rest of funicular segments distinctly longer than broad. Eyes moderately big, almost round, 0.22 length of head. Mandibles stout, microreticulate and coarsely punctate, surface shiny. Mesosoma. Elongate in minor workers approximately 2.3, in major workers 2.0-2.2 times as long as wide, dorsally and laterally distinctly sculptured, dorsum and lateral sides with transverse and oblique to partly longitudinal striae, pronotum laterally with a patch of coarse punctures, dorsum without or with a few punctures, surface shiny. In lateral view dorsum form regular arch, without mesonotal groove, propodeum form a blunt angle. Surface of pronotal dorsum and mesonotum with short and scarce depressed hairs directed forward, pronotum with 4-18, mesonotum with 10-14, propodeum with 16-24 very long and erected setae, the longest with length to 0.415. Waist and gaster. Petiolar scale moderately thick with convex anterior and flat posterior face, apex rounded; anterior surface transversely striate, posterior surface smooth, without pubescence, apical crest with 7-14 very long erected setae. Gaster shorter than mesosoma, tergites with transverse microstriation and sparse micropunctation, surface distinctly shiny, covered with very short and scarce appressed hairs; each tergite with numerous, long erected setae. Legs. Moderately elongate, hind femora shorter than mesosoma, surface of legs covered with sparse subdecumbent to decumbent hairs, inner margin of hind tibiae in apical fourth with row of thorns. Ventral surface of fore femora with 9-12 long erected setae.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
  • Bracko G. 2007. Checklist of the ants of Slovenia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Natura Sloveniae 9: 15-24
  • Csősz S., B. Markó, and L. Gallé. 2011. The myrmecofauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Hungary: an updated checklist. North-Western Journal of Zoology 7: 55-62.
  • Czechowski W., A. Radchenko, W. Czechowska and K. Vepsäläinen. 2012. The ants of Poland with reference to the myrmecofauna of Europe. Fauna Poloniae 4. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 1-496 pp
  • Ionescu-Hirsch, B. Marko, and S. Csosz. 2009. Camponotus tergestinus Müller, 1921 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): first records of a rare species for Romania and Hungary. Entomologica romanica 14: 19-22.
  • Jesovnik A., J. Bujan, and G. Bracko. 2011. One genus and three species of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) new for Croatia. Entomol. Croat. 15 1-4: 113-122.
  • Kiran K., and C. Karaman. 2012. First annotated checklist of the ant fauna of Turkey (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 3548: 1-38.
  • Markó B., A. Ionescu-Hirsch, and A. Szász-Len. 2009. Genus Camponotus Mayr, 1861 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Romania: distribution and identification key to the worker caste. Entomologica Romanica 14: 29-41.
  • Müller G. 1921. Due nuove formiche della regione Adriatica. Boll. Soc. Adriat. Sci. Nat. Trieste 27(2): 46-49.
  • Petrov I. Z., and C. A. Collingwood. 1992. Survey of the myrmecofauna (Formicidae, Hymenoptera) of Yugoslavia. Archives of Biological Sciences (Belgrade) 44: 79-91.
  • Schifani E., and A. Alicata. 2018. Exploring the myrmecofauna of Sicily: thirty-two new ant species recorded, including six new to Italy and many new aliens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Polish Journal of Entomology 87 (4): 323–348.
  • Tausan I. 2016. First record of Camponotus lateralis (Olivier, 1792)(Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Dobrogea (Romania). Brukenthal. Acta Musei, 11: 443-446.
  • Tausan I., and A. Lapeva-Gjonova. 2017. Camponotus samius Forel, 1889 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) – at the north edge of its European distribution. North-Western Journal of Zoology: e177201
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