Camponotus paracolobopsis

This species is currently only known from Borneo (Brunei, North Kalimantan, Sarawak). One colony was discovered in an artificial nest close to the “visitor canopy walkway” in the Ulu Temburong National Park, Brunei. The nest contained only specimens of C. paracolobopsis and may have been a complete colony (or fragment thereof) with minor workers, major workers, gynes and brood (see notes on Camponotus inquilinus).

Identification
Minor worker: Black species with brown scape and base of funiculus; only on tergites 3–4 with very narrow, translucent hind margins. Long white standing setae abundant all over dorsum. Basal margin of clypeus with distinct concavity. Flagellum of normal length. Pronotum with distinct sculpture, but somewhat shiny. Dorsal outline of mesonotum and propodeum slightly convex, propodeum moderately downcurved. Petiolar node high and narrow in lateral aspect.

Major worker: Colour as in minor, except anterior margin of head medium to yellowish brown; anterior part of frons and mandibles reddish brown. Head with scattered medium-sized punctures, denser on genae and clypeus. Clypeus with about 14–16 groove-like punctures, base with narrow medial impression. Genae with some comparatively large punctures.

Among the (almost) entirely black species, C. paracolobopsis has the major workers with the most strongly sculptured head (major worker of Camponotus paraleonardi). Camponotus paraleonardi differs by the golden hair on mesosoma and gaster, Camponotus kutteri by distinct pale hind margins of gaster tergites. Camponotus benguetensis from the Philippines is most similar; see the comparative notes of this species.

The paratype series from Kalimantan differs from the Brunei series by very dark antennae and, in major workers, by less obvious grooves on clypeus and genae between the very pronounced microsculpture, but is regarded as conspecific. These specimens resemble Camponotus benguetensis, but differ in the structures at clypeus base.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Brunei Darussalam.

Nomenclature

 *  paracolobopsis. Camponotus (Myrmamblys) paracolobopsis Zettel & Yamane, 2018: 157, figs. 47-56 (w.q.) BRUNEI.

Type Material

 * Holotype (minor worker #1132; BRM) from Brunei, Temburong, Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre, visitor canopy walkway, 14.IV.2015, leg. A. Kopchinskiy, #VCW 322.
 * Paratypes (BRM, SKYC, CZW, NHMW): 5 minor workers (#1128–1131, 1133), 3 major workers (#1125–1127), and 2 alate gynes (#1123, 1124), same nest series; 1 minor worker, same locality, sample 45; 1 major worker (#1807), 1 minor worker (#1808), Malaysia, Sarawak, Lambir N.P., Canopy 4 ha, 8.III.2004, leg. H.O. Tanaka, P(10) B(5), TY(04)-(637) (“sp. 65”); 5 minor workers (#1818), 7 major workers (#1821, 1822), Indonesia, Borneo, North Kalimantan, Tanah Tidung, Gunung Rian, in hard dead wood, 26.III.2016, leg. Sk. Yamane & Syaukani, KM16-SKY-111.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Zettel H., P. Balaka, S. Yamane, A. Laciny, L. Lim, and I. S. Druzhinina. 2018. New mimetic ants from Southeast Asia – the Camponotus (Myrmamblys) inquilinus group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Camponotini). Zeitschrift der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Osterreichischer Entomologen 70: 125-174.