Key to Malagasy Camponotus grandidieri and niveosetosus species groups

This worker key is based on: Rakotonirina, J.C., Csosz, S., Fisher, B.L. 2017. Taxonomic revision of the Malagasy Camponotus grandidieri and niveosetosus species groups (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using qualitative and quantitative morphology. Zootaxa 4238: 203–245 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4238.2.2).

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• Camponotus
• Camponotus grandidieri species group
• Camponotus niveosetosus species group
• Madagascar

1

• With combination of the following characters: humeral angle rounded; maximum width of procoxa as large as the width of mesopleuron; petiolar node tapering dorsally or its anterior face rounding to posterior face with short dorsal margin; sculpture of body dorsum ranging from finely and densely reticulate punctate to finely and densely imbricate, lateral portion from finely areolate to finely coriarious; sculpture of the gena and at least the anterior half of the head capsule for the major workers is superimposed with two to seven smaller areoles embedded in scattered larger punctures. . . . . . 2

• Without combination of above characters . . . . . other Camponotus

2

return to couplet #1

• Numerous scattered whitish erect hairs covering mesosoma and posterior fifth portion of head; distance among hairs on promesonotum smaller than length of hair (Fig. 4A); lateral margin of propodeal declivity with scattered erect hairs, not arranged in a row. . . . . . 3

Fig. 4A

• A few pairs of whitish erect hairs confined to posteromedian portion of head; mesosoma dorsum with sparse erect hairs; distance among hairs on promesonotum usually larger than length of hair (Fig. 4B); a row of whitish erect hairs along lateral margin of propodeal declivity . . . . . 6

Fig. 4B

3

return to couplet #2

• In profile, mesosoma long and low (MPH/ML: 0.35–0.47), propodeal dorsum longer than declivitous face (Fig. 5A); erect hairs lacking immediately behind lateral margin of clypeus . . . . . 4

Fig. 5A

• In profile, mesosoma short and high (MPH/ML: 0.45–0.71), propodeal dorsum shorter than declivitous face (Fig. 5B); a few scattered erect hairs present immediately behind lateral margin of clypeus . . . . . 5

Fig. 5B

4

return to couplet #3

• In full-face view, whitish erect hairs on posterior portion of head scattered laterally to level of anterior margin of eyes (Fig. 6A); eyes located at least in posterior fourth of head; in dorsal view; dorsal margin of petiolar node with two rows of erect hairs extending from upper half to apex; transverse pale strip on posterior margin of abdominal tergites large, width 1/5 the visible width of tergite (Fig. 6B) . . . . . Camponotus madagascarensis

Figs. 6A,B

• In full-face view, whitish erect hairs on posterior portion of head spread mostly to posterolateral angle of head, not reaching level of anterior margin of eyes (Fig. 6C); eyes located on posterior fifth of head; in dorsal view, dorsal margin of petiolar node with only one row of erect hairs extending from upper half to apex; transverse pale strip on posterior margin of abdominal tergites narrow, width 1/8 the visible width of tergite (Fig. 6D) . . . . . Camponotus descarpentriesi

Figs. 6C,D

5

return to couplet #3

• Basal half of antennal scape noticeably flattened dorsoventrally; with head in full-face view, head elongate (minor CWb/CL: 0.83, 0.81–0.84; CW/CL: 0.80, 0.78–0.82), base of scape near basal condyle forming a lobe-like extension (Fig. 7A); dorsum of body with fewer scattered erect hairs and thin, short, and sparse pubescence; tibiae without suberect hairs . . . . . Camponotus mita

Fig. 7A

• Basal half of antennal scape cylindrical, not strongly flattened; with head in full-face view, head subquadrate (minor CWb/CL: 0.91, 0.87–1.07; CW/CL: 0.89, 0.86–1.04), base of scape near basal condyle simple, not forming a lobe-like extension (Fig. 7B); dorsum of body with numerous erect hairs and abundant and coarse pubescence; tibiae with sparse, suberect hairs . . . . . Camponotus voeltzkowii

Fig. 7B

6

return to couplet #2

• Body bicolored, with head, mesosoma, petiolar node and legs yellowish orange, light brown to reddish brown and gastral segments dark brown to black (Fig. 8A, 8B); opening of propodeal spiracle roughly circular . . . . . 7

Fig. 8A

Fig. 8B

• Body uniformly black, legs and antennae much lighter in color (Fig. 8C); opening of propodeal spiracle elongate or slitlike . . . . . 8

Fig. 8C

7

return to couplet #6

• Head, mesosoma, and petiolar node yellowish-orange, gastral segments anteriorly yellowish and posteriorly black (Fig. 8A); roughly distal half portion of antennal scape surpassing posterior margin of head (SL/CS: 1.16, 1.09–1.22); dorsum of propodeum approximately straight and inclined posteriorly (Fig. 9A) . . . . . Camponotus maintikibo

Fig. 8A

Fig. 9A

• Head, mesosoma, and petiolar node brown to reddish-brown, gastral segments uniformly dark brown to black (Fig. 8B); with head in full-face view, roughly apical third of antennal scape surpassing posterior margin of head (SL/CS: 0.97, 0.71–1.03); dorsum of propodeum convex (Fig. 9B) . . . . . Camponotus efitra

Fig. 8B

Fig. 9B

8

return to couplet #6

• Erect hairs on uppermost portion of petiolar node, on posterodorsal angle of propodeum, and on the junction between lateral propodeal surface and declivity shorter than distance between posteroventral angle of mesosoma and propodeal spiracle (Fig. 10A); mesosoma more slender (MW/ML: (minor) 0.51, 0.50–0.53; (major) 0.53, 0.51–0.54) . . . . . Camponotus auropubens

Fig. 10A

• Erect hairs on uppermost portion of petiolar node, on posterodorsal angle of propodeum, and on the junction between lateral propodeal surface and declivity at least equal to or longer than distance between posteroventral angle of mesosoma and propodeal spiracle (Fig. 10B); mesosoma more robust (MW/ML: (minor) 0.55, 0.52–0.58; (major) 0.55, 0.53–0.58) . . . . . Camponotus grandidieri

Fig. 10B