Key to Camponotus of Israel

This key to major workers is based on: Ionescu-Hirsch, A. 2010 (2009). An annotated list of Camponotus of Israel, with a key and descriptions of new species. Israel Journal of Entomology. 39:57-98.

1

Clypeus in full-face view with anterior margin projected beyond anterior margin of gena; anterolateral corner right angle (Figs. 15, 17, and 22) . . . . . 2

Clypeus with anterior margin not extending beyond anterior margin of gena, broadly rounded (Fig. 18), or with anterolateral corner truncated (Fig. 21); if extending beyond anterior margin of gena, then free margin broadly emarginated medially (Fig. 16) . . . . . 17

2

return to couplet #1

Scape and hindtibia covered with abundant suberect and erect setae; setae longer than scape and hindtibia diameter, longest setae more than twice as long as hindtibia diameter (Fig. 53) . . . . . Camponotus floridanus (this is a US species and is not believed to have established a population in Israel)

Camponotus floridanus, Major

Media

Erect setae on scape and hindtibia shorter and distinctly less abundant (Fig. 50), or lacking . . . . . Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) . . . . . 3

3

return to couplet #2

Body mainly yellow with at most, the last two gastral segments brownish; hind tibia tubular, without longitudinal ridge, oval in cross section . . . . . Camponotus turkestanus

At least dorsum of last three gastral segments brown or black; if (rarely) body paler, hindtibia with distinct longitudinal ridge, prismatic (Fig. 54) . . . . . 4

4

return to couplet #3

Gena with erect setae (Fig. 17) . . . . . 5

Gena without erect setae (Fig. 15) . . . . . 9

5

return to couplet #4 Hind tibia with short apressed pubescence, without row of spiny bristles on ventral margin in addition to 3–4 suberect setae at distal end near spurs (Fig. 51); head and mesosoma usually light ferruginous-brown, sometimes head slightly darker . . . . . Camponotus jaliensis

Hindtibia with at least one row of spiny bristles on ventral margin (Fig. 52); head dark brown to black . . . . . 6

6

return to couplet #5

Hindtibia with erect setae on dorsal surface (Fig. 50); body matte . . . . . Camponotus festai

Hindtibia without erect setae on dorsal surface; at least gaster shiny . . . . . 7

7

return to couplet #6

Hind tibia flattened and with a distinct longitudinal ridge (Fig. 52); mesosoma black dorsally, yellow to brown ventrolaterally . . . . . Camponotus kefir

Camponotus kefir, Major

Media

Hind tibia without distinct longitudinal ridge; mesosoma monochromatic . . . . . 8

8

return to couplet #7

Mesosoma with superficial sculpture laterally, entire ant shiny . . . . . Camponotus sannini

Mesosoma with accentuated sculpture laterally, head and mesosoma dorsum matte in major workers . . . . . Camponotus aethiops

9

return to couplet #4

Ventral head surface without erect setae . . . . . 10

Ventral head surface with 1–10 erect setae (Fig. 12) . . . . . 12

10

return to couplet #9

At least first gaster tergite yellow anteriorly and laterally . . . . . Camponotus sanctus (in part - also #15) (in part - also #16)

Gaster uniformly dark brown or black . . . . . 11

11

return to couplet #10

Petiole paler than first gaster segment; eye large, EL/HL = 0.23–0.26 (Fig. 11) . . . . . Camponotus xerxes

Petiole concolorous with first gaster segment; eye small, EL/HL = 0.20–0.23 (Fig. 9) . . . . . Camponotus sinaiticus

12

return to couplet #9

Hindtibia without row of bristles ventrally; clypeus slightly carinate, short (Fig. 22) . . . . . Camponotus carinifer

Hindtibia with a row of bristles ventrally (Figs. 49 and 54); clypeus distinctly carinate, elongated (Fig. 15) . . . . . 13

13

return to couplet #12

Mesosoma uniformly blackish-brown; leg uniformly yellow to ferruginous-yellow; head and mesosoma matte . . . . . Camponotus kugleri

If mesosoma uniformly blackish-brown, than leg not uniformly colored, with femur partly infuscate or black; if leg uniformly pale, than mesosoma dorsum infuscate, and head and mesosoma sub-opaque or shiny . . . . . 14

14

return to couplet #13

Hind tibia slightly compressed laterally, without distinct dorsomedial ridge (Fig. 49) . . . . . Camponotus baldaccii . . . . . Camponotus sp. near baldaccii

Hindtibia prismatic, with distinct dorsomedial ridge (Fig. 54) . . . . . 15

15

return to couplet #14

First gaster segment anteriorly and laterally, and second segment laterally, with distinctly paler areas, contrasting with dark color of rest of gaster; first and second tergites of gaster with anterolateral margins paler than middle in dorsal view . . . . . Camponotus sanctus (in part - also #10) (in part - also #16)

Gaster uniformly dark, or with paler area(s) restricted to first segment; gaster entirely dark in dorsal view . . . . . 16

16

return to couplet #15

Head and gaster of major worker entirely shiny to subopaque; minor worker shiny; bicoloured, bright black with mesosoma ventrally, petiole and macula on first gaster tergite brownish-red to yellow . . . . . Camponotus sanctus (in part - also #10) (in part - also #15)

Major worker matte, sometimes with sub-opaque gaster; minor worker matte with gaster subopaque to shiny; mesosoma varies from black to faded reddish-brown . . . . . Camponotus fellah

17

return to couplet #1

Propodeal dorsum broad and somewhat flat, margined laterally, in profile forming a distinct angle with the declivity (Figs. 24 and 30) . . . . . 18

Propodeal dorsum narrow, transversally arched and not margined laterally, in profile forming an obtuse angle with the declivity (Fig. 48) . . . . . 27

18

return to couplet #17

Propodeum posteriorly with obtuse teeth (Fig. 26); gaster covered with thick, apressed, golden mossy pubescence . . . . . Camponotus sericeus

Propodeum unarmed (Fig. 25); if gaster with abundant, apressed pubescence, then pubescence white . . . . . 19

19

return to couplet #18

Propodeum dorsum with erect setae over its surface (Figs. 31 and 36) . . . . . 20

Propodeum dorsum only with a transverse row of erect setae along edge with declivity (Figs. 28 and 35) . . . . . 23

20

return to couplet #19

Head and gaster black, mesosoma red . . . . . Camponotus interjectus

Pheidole xxx, Major

Minor

Body uniformly dark brown to black . . . . . 21

21

return to couplet #20

At least gaster shiny; head and mesosoma finely sculptured; gaster with sparse suberect setae and apressed pubescence . . . . . Camponotus gestroi

Entire body matte; head and mesosoma coarsely sculptured; gaster minutely reticulate punctulate, covered with abundant suberect setae and apressed pubescence . . . . . Camponotus libanicus

23

return to couplet #19

Clypeus smooth, with two lateral projections, anterior margin entire, not incised medially (Fig. 21); mesopropodeal suture not impressed (Fig. 46) . . . . . 24

Clypeus subcarinate, with anterior margin incised medially (Fig. 20); mesosoma with impressed mesopropodeal suture (Figs. 28 and 38), rarely obsolete (Fig. 37) . . . . . 25

24

return to couplet #23

Head and gaster blackish-brown or black; mesosoma and leg ferruginous-red to reddish-brown . . . . . Camponotus kurdistanicus

Head, mesosoma and leg ferruginous-red to reddish-brown, gaster black; sometimes head brown dorsally . . . . . Camponotus vogti

25

return to couplet #23

Propodeum dorsum convex longitudinally and transversally; mesopropodeal suture slightly impressed (Fig. 38) . . . . . Camponotus rebeccae

Propodeum dorsum with posterior half concave longitudinally, rarely flat (Figs. 24 and 25); mesopropodeal suture strongly impressed (Fig. 28) . . . . . 26

26

return to couplet #25

Head and gaster concolorous black; mesosoma (at least pronotum) red . . . . . Camponotus dalmaticus

Head paler than gaster; mesosoma ochraceous . . . . . Camponotus lateralis

27

return to couplet #17

Head circular in cross section, abruptly truncate in “soldier” (Fig. 13); worker: propodeum dorsum distinctly concave in lateral view (Fig. 45); petiole scale with acute summit in lateral view; dorsum indented in front view (Figs. 45 and 58) . . . . . Colobopsis truncata

Head not circular in cross section and not abruptly truncated in any sub-caste (Fig. 14); other combination of characters . . . . . 28

28

return to couplet #27

Propodeum dorsum concave in lateral view (Fig. 47); petiole scale thick with flat anterior and posterior surface, its contour in lateral view parallel lines converging at rounded summit (Fig. 47) . . . . . Camponotus sp. near vitiosus

Propodeum dorsum usually straight or convex; if slightly concave in lateral view (Fig. 48), then petiole scale with anterior surface convex; posterior surface flat; summit sharp in lateral view (Fig. 48) . . . . . 29

29

return to couplet #28

Gena with erect setae . . . . . 30

Gena without erect setae . . . . . 31

30

return to couplet #29

Scape with row of erect setae spread over its entire length (Fig. 23); body black, with coxae, femur, and first gaster segment anteriorly light reddish-brown; entire ant shiny . . . . . Camponotus tergestinus

Scape without setae spread over its entire length; body brown to black; leg uniformly reddish-brown or black; head and mesosoma matte; gaster subopaque . . . . . Camponotus cilicicus

31

return to couplet #29

Clypeus with short triangular impression anteromedially and wide notch in middle of anterior border; gaster shiny with sparse reduced pilosity; distance between hairlets larger than their length . . . . . Camponotus (Myrmentoma) (in part) . . . . . 32

Free margin of clypeus truncated and impressed medially, without median notch; gaster dull, thickly covered with apressed pubescence; distance between hairlets smaller than their length . . . . . Camponotus. (Camponotus) (in part) . . . . . 33

32

return to couplet #31

Body uniformly black with reddish antenna and tarsus; specimen from Caucasus with head anteriorly and mesosoma pale brown . . . . . Camponotus fallax

Head and mesosoma red; gaster black . . . . . Camponotus sayi (this is a US species and is not believed to have established a population in Israel)

Camponotus sayi, Major

Media

33

return to couplet #31

Body completely black . . . . . Camponotus vagus

Camponotus vagus, Major

Media

Body mainly black, with funiculus, leg, and petiole brown . . . . . Camponotus pennsylvanicus (this is a US species and is not believed to have established a population in Israel)