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Camponotus tsimelahy
| Camponotus tsimelahy | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Camponotini |
| Genus: | Camponotus |
| Subgenus: | Mayria |
| Species group: | repens |
| Species: | C. tsimelahy |
| Binomial name | |
| Camponotus tsimelahy Rasoamanana & Fisher, 2022
| |
This species seems to prefer deciduous forest habitats such as tropical dry forest, gallery forest, spiny forest or thicket, and transitional forest, but is much rarer in humid habitats at lower altitudes. Collections have been taken from sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), under stones, on low vegetation, ex soil, ground forager(s), and ground nest using methods including sampling transects, soil sampling, sardine and tuna fish baiting and Malaise traps.
Identification
Rasoamanana and Fisher (2022) - A member of the Camponotus repens species group. Integument shiny black; standing pilosity sparse elsewhere; clypeus with short, rounded lobe; mesonotal suture impressed; petiole nodiform; gaster longer than mesosoma.
Camponotus tsimelahy may be confused with Camponotus repens and Camponotus ihazofotsy; all three species share the same sculpturation, form of petiole, and type of suberect setae. However, in profile, the dorsal outline of the mesosoma presents a slightly concave metanotal groove. See the discussion section under C. ihazofotsy.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Collected from: Eucalyptus plantation, grassland, savanna grassland, Uapaca forest, Uapaca woodland, urban/garden. Altitude from 1300 to 1987 m.
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -23.1° to -24.8°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: Rasoamanana & Fisher, 2022
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar (type locality).
Distribution based on AntMaps
Distribution based on AntWeb specimens
Check data from AntWeb
Biology
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- tsimelahy. Camponotus tsimelahy Rasoamanana & Fisher, 2022: 222, figs. 43B, 45B, 46A, 69 (w.) MADAGASCAR.
- Type-material: holotype minor worker, 4 paratype minor workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Madagascar: Toliara, Parc Nat. d’Andohahela, Forêt de Manatalinjo, 33.6 km. 63° ENE Amboasary, 7.6 km. 99° E Hazofotsy, -24.81694, 46.61, 150 m., 12-16.i.2003, BLF04814 (B.L. Fisher); paratypes: 1 worker with same data, 3 workers Parc Nat. d’Andohahela, Forêt d’Ambohibory, 1.7 km. 61° ENE Tsimelahy, 36.i km. 308° NW Tolagnaro, 12-16.i.2002, BLF04918 (B.L. Fisher).
- Type-depository: CASC.
- Combination in C. (Mayria): Rasoamanana & Fisher, 2022: 222.
- 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
Medium-sized species. Absolute cephalic size (CS: 0.79±0.04; 0.77–0.81). In full-face view, head ovate, usually somewhat longer than broad, lateral margin of head straight and tapering to front (CWb/CL: 0.29±0.02, 0.28–0.29). Eyes subelliptical, protruding, their borders smoothly aligned to lateral margins of head (PoOC/CL: 0.09±0.00, 0.08–0.09). Mandibles triangular with six teeth. Anterior clypeal margin not produced, entire, broadly rounded. Antennal scape long, surpassing the occiput by the length of two basal funiculi (SL/CS: 0.41±0.03, 0.40–0.42). In lateral view, mesosoma without anterolateral margination, promesonotum distinctly convex, mesopropodeal suture deeply impressed so that propodeal dorsum raised to the level of mesopropodeal suture, propodeum angular in profile, with unequal basal and declivitous faces, the former horizontal, the latter straight to evenly concave (MW/ML: 0.19±0.02, 0.17–0.20; MPH/ML: 0.13±0.01, 0.13–0.14). In lateral view, petiole cuneate with convex anterior face and flat dorsal face. Body finely imbricate. Hairs whitish, one pair present on vertex, middle of mesonotum, and propodeum dorsum; two pairs on each side of lateral corner of propodeum; three pairs on lateral margins of petiole. Head and mesosoma reddish, legs light brown, basal face of first gastral segment light brown and the remaining segment dark brown to black.
Type Material
Holotype worker: Madagascar, Province Toliara, Parc National d ‘Andohahela, Forêt de Manatalinjo, 33.6 km 63° ENE Amboasary, 7.6 km 99° E Hazofotsy, –24.81694, 46.61, 150 m, spiny forest/thicket, 12–16 January 2002 (BLF), collection code: BLF04814, specimen code: CASENT0446651 (CASC). Paratypes. One worker with same data as holotype but specimen code CASENT0446549; 3 workers from Parc National d’ Andohahela, Forêt d’ Ambohibory, 1.7 km 61° ENE Tsimelahy, 36.1 km 308° NW Tolagnaro, –24.93, 46.6455, tropical dry forest, 12–16 January 2002 (BLF), collection code: BLF04918, specimen code: CASENT0444910 (CASC).
Etymology
The species epithet is in reference to the type locality.