Dendromyrmex

American Weaving Carpenter Ants

Diagnosis. Emery (1925). - "Worker.- Without caste dimorphism; body slender. Head oval, often conical posterior to eyes, rarely prolonged as neck; eyes small, round, very convex, placed somewhat posterior to head midlength; ocelli absent. Clypeus strongly carinate, descending abruptly to mouth and dominated by anterior extremity of frontal carinae. Frontal carinae very prominent, sinuate, and and antennal insertions situated anterior to frontal carina midlength. Antennomere 3 shorter than pedicel and antennomere 4. Mesosoma elongate, dorsum continuous, depressed, and with very distinct sutures; propodeum more-or-less marginate posteriorly and laterally, descending in arc to posterior face; metanotum does not form part of mesosomal dorsum, and metanotal spriacles situated laterally, below propodeal margins. Petiolar scale thick, cuneiform. Abdominal segment III (gastral segment I) tall and short. Queen. - Somewhat larger than worker; head with same shape. Mesosoma straight and fairly depressed; pronotum exposed widely. Wings more or less infuscated, veins brown and surrounded by brown halo, similar to Oecophylla. Male. - Head with same form as worker and queen, but eyes larger and frontal carinae shorter and less prominent. Mandibles as in other Camponotus. Pedicel subequal in length to antennomere 4, swollen and club-shaped; antennomere 3 shorter. Mesosoma rather narrow and somewhat depressed, but mesonotum entirely conceals pronotum in dorsal view. Petiole nodiform.

Geographical distribution of species. - Neotropical forests.

Ethology. - D. chartifex builds arboreal carton nests. (= Camponotus chartifex)

(Translated and edited by B. E. Boudinot, 19 February 2017.)

Dendromyrmex is currently a subgenus of Camponotus.

According to Fernandez (2002a), Dendromyrmex can be recognized from other Camponotus subgenera by the combination of monomorphic workers (vs. polymorphic), and propodeal shape and configuration (sides dorsolaterally angulate and dorsum with transverse striation).

Nomenclature

 *  DENDROMYRMEX [subgenus of Camponotus]
 * Dendromyrmex Emery, 1895j: 772. Type-species: Formica chartifex, by subsequent designation of Wheeler, W.M. 1911f: 161.
 * Dendromyrmex subgenus of Camponotus: Fernández, 2002: 51.