Key to Camponotus maculatus species complex in the New World

This worker key is based on: Mackay, W.P. & Delsinne, T. 2009. A new species of carpenter ant from Paraguay, with a key to the New World members of the maculatus species complex. Sociobiology. 53:487-498.

The following key will separate the majors and often the minors of the New World members of the maculatus species complex:

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1

• Cheek and shaft of scape lacking erect or suberect hairs (rarely 1 or 2 may be present on cheek near base of mandible, and even on shaft of scape, especially in specimens from the Carribean) . . . . . 2

• Cheek with erect or suberect hairs, at least near base of mandible; shaft of scape often with erect hairs . . . . . 6

2

return to couplet #1

• Antennal scape of major extending well past posterior lateral corner; widely distributed and common . . . . . 3

• Antennal scape of major barely reaching posterior lateral corner; known only from type locality in Rondonia, Brasil . . . . . Camponotus abunanus

3

return to couplet #2

• Florida, Mexico, south to Brasil . . . . . 4

• Washington, Oregon and Hawaii . . . . . Camponotus maculatus

4

return to couplet #3

• Head of minor (above it is written that the key will allow to separate majors. not noticeably narrower posteriorly (except posterior to eyes); widely distributed from Florida south to southern Brasil, not reported from Paraguay . . . . . 5

• Head of minor noticeably narrowed posteriorly; known only from Paraguay . . . . . Camponotus taniae

5

return to couplet #4

• Mostly brown, gaster usually with lateral yellow splotches or transverse bands on each tergum; USA (Florida) south to Brasil, Caribbean . . . . . Camponotus zonatus

• Concolorous very dark reddish brown to black; Mexico south to Brasil and Bolivia . . . . . Camponotus indianus

6

return to couplet #1

• Shaft of scape without erect hairs (few present at apex) . . . . . 7

• Shaft of scape with at least a few erect hairs, often with abundant erect hairs . . . . . 9

7

return to couplet #6

• Side of pronotum and dorsum of gaster moderately smooth and glossy . . . . . 8

• Side of pronotum and dorsum of gaster sculptured and dull to weakly shining; Mexico south to Guatemala . . . . . Camponotus pullatus

8

return to couplet #7

• Areas between punctures on mandibles smooth and glossy; Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia . . . . . Camponotus picipes guatemalensis

• Areas between punctures on mandibles finely striated and dull; Mexico south to Argentina, Cuba, Aruba . . . . . Camponotus coloratus

9

return to couplet #6

• Shaft of scape with more than 20 erect or suberect hairs . . . . . 10

• Shaft of scape with fewer than 20 such hairs . . . . . 11

10

return to couplet #9

• Area between punctures near base of mandibular teeth weakly sculptured, smooth and moderately shining; Bahamas . . . . . Camponotus inaequalis

• Area between these punctures striated and sculptured; Hispaniola, Bahamas . . . . . Camponotus lucayanus

11

return to couplet #9

• Clypeal carina sharp, well defined; continental South America . . . . . Camponotus fuscocinctus

• Clypeal carina poorly defined, dull and interrupted; Caribbean Islands . . . . . 12

12

return to couplet #11

• Propodeum depressed and flattened below level of mesonotum; Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola . . . . . Camponotus picipes plombyi

• Propodeum at same level and continuous with mesonotum . . . . . 13

13

return to couplet #12

• Mesonotum and dorsal face of propodeum flattened, in nearly same plane; Cuba . . . . . Camponotus santosi

• Mesonotum and dorsal face of propodeum broadly arched; Mexico south to Argentina, not reported from Cuba . . . . . Camponotus substitutus