Myrmopytia

Myrmopytia
	Camponotus imitator
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Camponotini
Genus:	Camponotus
Subgenus:	Myrmopytia; Emery, 1920
Type species
	Camponotus imitator Specimen labels;

Supermodel Carpenter Ants

Diagnosis. Emery (1925). - "Worker. Caste dimorphism weak. Head elongate, narrowed as or curve or in ogive (missile-shape) posterior to eyes, or in minors, head extended as small collar. Clypeus subcarinate, produced anteriorly as short, truncate lobe. Mandibles slightly curved, with 6 teeth. Mesosoma very long and narrow; dorsum rounded; meso-metanotum very long, narrow, descending in a straight line to propodeum; propodeum forming high rounded bump. No vestige of sutures between mesonotum, metanotum, and propodeum; metanotal spiracles situated dorsally and prominent in profile view. Petiolar scale thick. Limbs very long.

Note: The shape of the head and mesosoma of C. imitator, Forel, is characteristic; it calls to mind those of C. (Myrmosaulus) camelinus and singularis, but much exaggerated, and rather reminiscent of Prenolepis melanogaster, Emery. Perhaps this species should be excluded from the genus Camponotus. Forel points out the striking mimicry of C. imitator with ''Aphaenogaster (Deromyrma) swammerdami'', Forel (hence the specific epithet). For the reports of C. imitator with shellac[!], see Forel, in Grandidier, Hist. Nat. Madagascar, Vol. 20 (2), p. 210-218 (1891)."

(the above was translated and edited by B. E. Boudinot, 19 February 2017.)

Rasoamanana et al. 2017 - Minor workers of this subgenus can be recognized by the combination of the following characters: maxillary palps particularly long with respect to head length, extending past a point on line with posterior margin of eye; mesosoma slender, mesonotum elongated and constricted at midlength, propodeum a protruding rounded hump; mesothoracic spiracles prominent, pointing upward; propodeum protuberant. The major worker can be recognized by the distinct form of the mesosoma. The propodeum is dome-like or subrectangular in lateral view and the metanotum is elongate and impressed, and the upper mesopleuron is laterally pinched

The species all occur in Madagascar. Queens and males are unknown.

Key to Camponotus Myrmopytia workers

Myrmopytia is currently a subgenus of Camponotus.

Nomenclature

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

MYRMOPYTIA [subgenus of Camponotus]
- Myrmopytia Emery, 1920b: 243 [as subgenus of Camponotus]. Type-species: Camponotus imitator, by original designation.

References

Bolton, B. 2003. Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 71: 370pp (page 117, Myrmopytia as subgenus of Camponotus)
Emery, C. 1920b. Le genre Camponotus Mayr. Nouvel essai de la subdivision en sous-genres. Rev. Zool. Afr. (Bruss.) 8: 229-260 (page 243, Myrmopytia as subgenus of Camponotus)
Emery, C. 1925d. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum 183: 1-302 (page 114, Myrmopytia as subgenus of Camponotus)
Rasoamanana, N., Csősz, S., Fisher, B.L. 2017. Taxonomic revision of imitating carpenter ants, Camponotus subgenus Myrmopytia (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Madagascar, using morphometry and qualitative traits. ZooKeys 681: 119–152 (DOI 10.3897/zookeys.681.13187).
Wheeler, W. M. 1922i. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VII. Keys to the genera and subgenera of ants. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 45: 631-710 (page 707, Myrmopytia as subgenus of Camponotus)