Camponotus stefanschoedli

This dimorphic species has major and minor workers. Nothing is know about Forelophilus stefanschoedli’s biology. Known from few samples, the paucity of records may indicate that this ant is rare. However they may rarely be collected because minor workers are very similar, at least in the field, to the common dolichoderine species Dolichoderus thoracicus. (Zettel & Zimmermann 2007)

Identification
Zettel and Zimmerman (2007) - (minor worker): Scape blackish brown, tibiae yellowish or brown. Clypeus yellow or light brown, with pronounced median ridge. Vertex with numerous long setae restricted to medial part. Pronotum with few, moderately long setae. Tibiae without erect setae. Tarsi relatively elongate and slender. Petiolar node narrowly rounded in lateral view.

Distribution
Known from the Philippine Islands of Luzon, Leyte, and Mindanao.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Philippines.

Nomenclature

 *  stefanschoedli. Forelophilus stefanschoedli Zettel & Zimmermann, 2007: 22, figs. 1, 2, 4-9 (s.w.) PHILIPPINES (Mindanao).

Worker
Holotype (minor): TL = 3.5 mm; HW = 0.92 mm; HL = 0.91 mm; CI = 101; EL = 0.25 mm; OMD = 0.37 mm; SL = 0.95 mm; SI = 103; PW = 0.62 mm; HFL = 0.97 mm; HFI = 106. Paratype (minor worker; n = 1): TL = 3.1 mm; HW = 0.81 mm; HL = 0.81 mm; CI = 100; EL = 0.24 mm; OMD = 0.32 mm; SL = 0.85 mm; SI = 105; PW = 0.54 mm; HFL = 0.89 mm; HFI = 110. Paratypes (major workers; n = 3) TL = 4.4-5.4 mm; HW = 1.23-1.48 mm; HL = 1.25-1.48 mm; CI = 98-100; EL = 0.29-0.34 mm; OMD = 0.55-0.66 mm; SL = 0.97-1.07 mm; SI = 72-80; PW = 0.80-0.93 mm; HFL = 1.01-1.24 mm; HFI = 76-85.

Colour of minor worker: Black. Frons brownish. Mandibles yellowish. Flagellum orange (basal 3-4 segments variably infuscated). Legs middle-brown, tibiae slightly lighter than femora, tarsi black. Whitish margins on tergites very narrow, indistinct.

Colour of major worker: Similar to minor worker. Clypeus orange or brown. Frons brown or black. Whitish margins on tergites relatively wide, distinct.

Structural characteristics of minor worker: Moderately shiny. Vertex medially, frons and clypeus entirely with reduced sculpture. Clypeus strongly convex, anterior margin straight, without lobe, medially slightly shorter than sides. Almost whole mesosoma with very fine reticulation, slightly reduced on dorsal face of propodeum and absent from its almost smooth posterior face. Methoracic spiracular tubercles slightly surpassing dorsal face of propodeum. Dorsal face of propodeum slightly convex, without medial groove. Dorsum of petiolar node with reduced reticulation. Gaster with reduced sculpture.

Structural characteristics of major worker: Similar to minor worker. Head large, subtruncate, squared, in frontal view with straight hind margin and slightly narrowed close to mandible base, completely matt. Eyes not surpassing sides of head in frontal view. Ocelli absent. Clypeus with medial lobe distinctly surpassing sides, anteriorly shallowly notched, not or slightly impressed along midline close to anterior margin, medial ridge not as strongly developed as in minor worker, anteriorly reduced in one specimen. Mandible with a very small sixth tooth at base of masticatory margin. Mesosoma almost completely matt, only posterior face of propodeum with fine reticulation and shiny. Anterior margin of mesonotum slightly elevated over posterior margin of pronotum. Dorsal face of propodeum strongly convex, distinctly higher than metathoracic spiracular tubercles. Legs relatively short. Node of petiole, if seen from front or rear, distinctly widened towards dorsal margin. Gaster with relatively dense, very fine punctuation, weakly shiny.

Type Material
Holotype (minor worker): Mindanao, Surigao del Norte, SW of Bacuag, Payapag, Little Baguio Waterfall, 6.II.2000, leg. S. Schödl, # 9. Paratypes: 1 major worker, same locality as holotype (NHMW); Mindanao, Surigao del Norte, 40 km S of Surigao City, Songkoy Spring, 8.II.2000, leg. H. Zettel, # 231, 1 minor worker ; Leyte, E of Ormoc, Lake Danao, 11.III.1998, leg. H. Zettel, # 158, 1 major worker (CZW); Luzon, Camarines Sur, Lupi, Sooc, 9.-10.III.2004, leg. C. Pangantihon, # P57, 1 major worker (CZW).

Etymology
The new species is dedicated to our valued friend Stefan Schödl (1957-2005), who collected part of the type material. We have chosen this rather long specific epithet to avoid possible secondary homonymy with species described in Camponotus, i.e. Camponotus schoedli Dumpert, 2006 and Camponotus stefani McArthur, 2007.