Camponotus fieldeae

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  fieldeae. Camponotus fieldeae Forel, 1902h: 495 (s.w.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in C. (Myrmoturba): Forel, 1914a: 267; in C. (Tanaemyrmex): Emery, 1925b: 90.

Description
Workers. Length 4.7-8 mm. Very similar to C. extensus while being smaller. Worker major. Mandibles strongly curved on the outer edge, smooth and glossy towards the extremities, weakly shagreen towards the base, with scattered or sparse points and probably 7 teeth. The head is trapezoidal, the sides convex, strongly widened and indented behind, more widened behind and shorter than extensus. Clypeus keeled, the lobe like extensus is a little indented in the middle of its anterior edge. Thorax much shorter than extensus; pronotum much wider than long; the declivity of the metanotum (= propodeum) only a little shorter than the basal face; metanotum (= propodeum) not so low. The node is a little less thick. Limbs and antennae shorter. The head is entirely dull, densely reticulate punctate; thorax a little more sub opaque; gaster moderately glossy. The tibias and scapes have short hairs, semi erect, abundant. The rest of the sculpture as with extensus. Pubescence is very dilute. The color is dark brown, the limbs, mandibles and the funicles a light brown. Worker minor. The head has a distinct posterior border (not like extensus), only 1/4 to 1/3 longer than wide (with extensus the length is almost twice the width) and as wide at the back as it is at the front (very narrow behind in the case of extensus). Pronotum with width equal to its length (with extensus length is longer than width). In other respects the thorax is like the major worker. Node half as thin as extensus. Sculpture, pilosity and color like the major worker. Clypeus with an anterior lobe which is very rectangular, with a straight border, and sharply keeled. Charters Towers, Queensland (Wiederhehr) A variety with a little weaker sculpture (head sub opaque), with thorax a little more convex and the declivity shorter, in other respects identical with the specimen from Townsville, Queensland from M Gilbert Turner A species closely related to extensus but with the stature of the group maculatus from which it differs by its pilosity.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Andersen A. N., B. D. Hoffmann, W. J. Muller, and A. D. Griffiths. 2002. Using ants as bioindicators in land management: simplifying assesment of ant community responses. Journal of Applied Ecology 39: 8-17.
 * Andersen A. N., B. D. Hoffmann, and S. Oberprieler. 2016. Diversity and biogeography of a species-rich ant fauna of the Australian seasonal tropics. Insect Science DOI 10.1111/1744-7917.12402
 * Heterick B. E., B. Durrant, and N. R. Gunawardene. 2010. The ant fauna of the Pilbara Bioregion, Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 78: 157-167.
 * Majer J. D., S. K. Callan, K. Edwards, N. R. Gunawardene, and C. K. Taylor. 2013. Baseline survey of the terrestrial invertebrate fauna of Barrow Island. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 83: 13-112.