Camponotus ursus

Camponotus ursus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Camponotini
Genus:	Camponotus
Subgenus:	Mayria
Species group:	darwinii
Species:	C. ursus
Binomial name
Camponotus ursus Forel, 1886 Specimen labels

Camponotus ursus is found in two different habitats: primary forest in the eastern portion and urban/garden areas in the central highlands of Madagascar (Fig. 58F). It is found foraging on low vegetation or inside branches above the ground. It occurs at altitudes above 1,200 meters.

Identification

Rasoamanana and Fisher (2022) - A member of the Camponotus darwinii species group. Integument shiny black; anterior margin of clypeus with short, rectangular lobe; dorsum of mesosoma with dense, decumbent, golden-yellow setae; gastral dorsum with widely distributed, short, subdecumbent setae.

Camponotus ursus is recognizable within the C. darwinii species group on the basis of its distinct mesosomal pilosity. In addition, it is the only species with reddish brown basitarsi. However, C. ursus is unlikely be confused with Camponotus darwinii for several reasons. First, the body of the latter is much larger. Second, the head and gastral segment of C. ursus are covered with fine, short, sparse, and yellowish setae, giving the ant a glossy appearance that is completely different than that of C. darwinii.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Malagasy Camponotus subgenus Mayria minor workers

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.

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.

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Worker (major/soldier). Specimen code casent0101375. Photographer Nick Olgeirson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Nomenclature

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

• ursus. Camponotus ursus Forel, 1886c: ci (s.w.) MADAGASCAR.
  • Type-material: lectotype minor worker (by designation of Rasoamanana & Fisher, 2022: 198), 1 paralectotype minor worker.
  • Type-locality: lectotype Madagascar: (no further data) (A. Grandidier); paralectotype with same data.
  • Type-depository: MHNG.
  • [Camponotus ursus Forel, 1879a: 115. Nomen nudum.]
  • Combination in C. (Myrmobrachys): Forel, 1912i: 91;
  • combination in C. (Myrmepomis): Emery, 1920b: 258;
  • combination in C. (Myrmopiromis): Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1053;
  • combination in C. (Mayria): Rasoamanana & Fisher, 2022: 147.
  • Status as species: Forel, 1891b: 46 (redescription); Dalla Torre, 1893: 255; Emery, 1896d: 377 (in list); Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1053; Emery, 1925b: 129; Bolton, 1995b: 128; Rasoamanana & Fisher, 2022: 198 (redescription).
  • 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

Rasoamanana and Fisher (2022):

Morphological measurements: see Appendix 1 and Ratios of morphometric data for majors and minors

Minor

Medium-sized species. Absolute cephalic size (CS: 1.54±0.19; 1.43–1.64). In full-face view, head somewhat longer than broad, narrower in front than behind, with slightly convex lateral and posterior sides (CWb/CL: 0.37±0.02; 0.36–0.38). Eyes elliptical, sublateral at midpoint from the lateral sides (PoOC/CL: 0.07±0.02; 0.06–0.08). Mandibles triangular with six teeth. Clypeus not carinate, produced into a short, rectangular lobe. Antennal scape long, surpassing the occiput by the length of one basal funiculus. (SL/CS: 0.38±0.02; 0.37–0.39). In lateral view, dorsal contour of mesosoma smoothly convex, humeral angle broadly rounded; in dorsal view, mesonotal suture distinct but not impressed, mesonotal suture obsolete so that mesonotum and propodeum are fused together, propodeum with convex base and sloping declivity (MPH/ML: 0.18±0.02; 0.16–0.19). Petiole narrow, cuneate in profile, with short anterior face tapering dorsally to the flattened posterior face, its border rather sharp, produced upwards as a blunt angle in the middle. Head dorsum finely reticulate-punctate with shallow, sparse punctures; occipital region transversally striate-reticulate; lateral face of mesosoma, declivitous face, and petiolar face finely strigulate; legs finely reticulate; dorsum of mesosoma finely reticulate-striate-punctate with sparse excavation from which one suberect setae arises. Dorsum of gastral tergite finely striate-reticulate transversally, with sparse, small punctures. Mandible finely rugose with sparse, large punctures. Hairs golden yellow, the former abundant, long, and bending forward on entire mesosoma dorsum; suberect, short, and sparsely distributed on gastral tergites; the latter short and conspicuous on the abdominal segment, five pairs of erect hairs present on vertex. Body shiny black; scape, two basal funiculi, mandible, tarsi, and tibiae reddish.

Major

Characteristics of minor workers, except: head as broad as long, with occipital and lateral margin almost straight (CS: 2.14±0.15, 2.00–2.39; CWb/CL: 0.89±0.07, 0.84–1.03). Eyes circular, placed dorsally next to the vertex (PoOC/CL: 0.23±0.01, 0.21–0.24). Anterior clypeal margin forms a short, rounded lobe (ClyL/GPD: 1.03±0.41, 0.73–1.78). Antennal scape short, just reaching the occipital border (SL/CS: 0.82±0.03, 0.78–0.86). Dorsal outline of mesosoma almost flat, propodeum dorsum naked and the same length as the sloping declivity.

Type Material

Camponotus ursus Lectotype minor worker, present designation, Madagascar (Forel), AntWeb CASENT0101374 (MHNG) [examined]. Paralectotype, one minor worker same data as lectotype but specimen coded as CASENT0101375 (MHNG).

References

• Emery, C. 1920b. Le genre Camponotus Mayr. Nouvel essai de la subdivision en sous-genres. Rev. Zool. Afr. (Bruss.) 8: 229-260 (page 258, Combination in C. (Myrmepomis))
• Forel, A. 1886c. Diagnoses provisoires de quelques espèces nouvelles de fourmis de Madagascar, récoltées par M. Grandidier. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 30:ci-cvii. (page civ, soldier, worker described)
• Forel, A. 1891c. Les Formicides. [part]. In: Grandidier, A. Histoire physique, naturelle, et politique de Madagascar. Volume XX. Histoire naturelle des Hyménoptères. Deuxième partie (28e fascicule). Paris: Hachette et Cie, v + 237 pp. (page 46, see also)
• Forel, A. 1912j. Formicides néotropiques. Part VI. 5me sous-famille Camponotinae Forel. Mém. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 20: 59-92 (page 91, Combination in C. (Myrmobrachys))
• Rasoamanana, N., Fisher, B.L. 2022. A taxonomic revision of the Malagasy endemic subgenus Mayria of the genus Camponotus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) based on qualitative morphology and quantitative morphometric analyses. ZooKeys 1081: 137–231 (doi:10.3897/zookeys.1081.71872).
• Wheeler, W. M. 1922k. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. IX. A synonymic list of the ants of the Malagasy region. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 4 45: 1005-1055 (page 1053, Combination in C. (Myrmopiromis))
• Wheeler, W. M. 1922k. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. IX. A synonymic list of the ants of the Malagasy region. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 4 45: 1005-1055 (see also)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Fisher B. L. 1997. Biogeography and ecology of the ant fauna of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Natural History 31: 269-302.
• Fisher B. L. 2003. Formicidae, ants. Pp. 811-819 in: Goodman, S. M.; Benstead, J. P. (eds.) 2003. The natural history of Madagascar. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, xxi + 1709 pp.
• Forel A. 1886. Diagnoses provisoires de quelques espèces nouvelles de fourmis de Madagascar, récoltées par M. Grandidier. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 30: ci-cvii.