Camponotus flavomarginatus

Camponotus flavomarginatus is widespread across the African grassland-forest zone (Taylor et al., 2018). Taylor (1978) reported it from Nigeria, where it was fairly common especially on insolated ground, with nests in soil. It forages widely across the ground and on native herbaceous vegetation and trees; also on cocoa (fairly common), cashew, coffee, kola and oil palm. It will tend aphids on cocoa but probably does not build tents. In Benin, Taylor et al. (2018) found it in Mangifera indica (mango) orchards on the ground and on trees, where it was both an antagonist and prey of Oecophylla longinoda. They also report it on the ground at the base of a Eucalyptus, from beating weeds near a river, and while hand collecting from Anacardium occidentale (cashew). In Oman, Sharaf et al. (2022) collected a nest series under a stone where the soil was loose and dry. Several workers were found on a tree of Vachellia.

Identification
Oman (Sharaf et al., 2022) - Mesosomal profile a continuous curve; metanotal groove indistinct; petiole in profile with a curved anterior margin and a straight posterior margin; entire surface covered with dense pale pubescence; few sparse setae on body.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Eritrea, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates. Palaearctic Region: Oman.

Nomenclature

 * . Camponotus flavomarginatus Mayr, 1862: 664 (w.) GHANA.
 * Type-material: holotype minor worker.
 * Type-locality: Ghana (“Gold Coast”): Akwapim Mts (no collector’s name).
 * Type-depository: NHMW.
 * Forel, 1907c: 144 (q.m.); Menozzi, 1926a: 38 (q.m.).
 * Combination in C. (Myrmosericus): Santschi, 1916b: 509.
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Forel, 1910c: 271; Forel, 1914d: 254; Santschi, 1914e: 41.
 * Junior synonym of micans: Mayr, 1879: 647; Dalla Torre, 1893: 243.
 * Junior synonym of cinctellus: Forel, 1894b: 70.
 * Subspecies of micans: Emery, 1881b: 526; Forel, 1886f: 174.
 * Subspecies of rufoglaucus: Forel, 1892j: 237; Emery, 1895h: 48 (in key); Emery, 1896d: 372 (in list); Emery, 1897e: 604; Emery, 1899a: 501; Forel, 1907c: 144; Santschi, 1911g: 212; Santschi, 1914d: 381; Santschi, 1916b: 509; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 247, 968; Viehmeyer, 1923: 93; Arnold, 1924: 692; Emery, 1925b: 106; Menozzi, 1926a: 38; Menozzi, 1927f: 361; Menozzi, 1930b: 118; Santschi, 1935a: 279; Santschi, 1935b: 276; Santschi, 1937d: 242; Santschi, 1939f: 167; Weber, 1943c: 337.
 * Status as species: Roger, 1863b: 2; Mayr, 1863: 399; Emery, 1877b: 365; Collingwood, 1985: 281; Bolton, 1995b: 100; Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 373; Collingwood, et al. 2011: 451; Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 205; Borowiec, L. 2014: 31; Madl, 2019: 14.
 * Senior synonym of albisectus: Emery, 1895h: 48 (in key); Emery, 1896d: 372; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 968; Menozzi, 1930b: 118; Bolton, 1995b: 100.
 * Distribution: Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
 * albisectus. Camponotus micans r. albisectus Emery, 1892a: 120 (w.) SOMALIA.
 * Combination in C. (Myrmosericus): Forel, 1914a: 268.
 * Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 221; Forel, 1914a: 268.
 * Junior synonym of flavomarginatus: Emery, 1895h: 48 (in key); Emery, 1896d: 372; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 968; Menozzi, 1930b: 118; Bolton, 1995b: 84.
 * jizani. Camponotus jizani Collingwood, 1985: 281, figs. 71, 73 (s.w.) SAUDI ARABIA.
 * Type-material: holotype worker, paratype major and minor workers (numbers not stated).
 * Type-localities: Saudi Arabia: Abu Arish, nr Jizan, 25.iii.1983 (C.A. Collingwood), Saudi Arabia: Fayfa, 27-28.iii.1983 (C.A. Collingwood), vic. Fayfa resthouse, 30.iii..1983 (C.A. Collingwood), Saudi Arabia: Abu Arish, vic. resthouse, 3.iv.1983 (C.A. Collingwood), Saudi Arabia: Khamis al Bhar, 4.iv.1983 (C.A. Collingwood)
 * [Note: Collingwood does not give a locality or specific data that isolates the holotype.]
 * Type-depository: NHMB (probably also WMLC).
 * Subgenus indeterminate: Bolton, 1995b: 106.
 * Status as species: Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 373; Borowiec, L. 2014: 34.
 * Junior synonym of flavomarginatus: Saraf et al., 2022: 13.

Type Material

 * Holotype of Camponotus jizani: KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA • 1 s; Fifa; no date; C.A. Collingwood leg.; CASENT0922313; WMLC. (Sharaf et al., 2022)
 * Paratype of Camponotus jizani: KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA • 1 mw; Fifa nr Jizan; 27–31 Mar. 1983; C.A. Collingwood leg.; CASENT0911619; NHMB. (Sharaf et al., 2022)

Taxonomic Notes
Collingwood and Agosti (1996) – Camponotus jizani, now a junior synonym, is abundant in the lower valleys of south-west Yemen just as it is around Fayfa in Saudi Arabia. Camponotus flavomarginatus seems to be more restricted to the mountains where, as in the Asir mountains and the Sumara and Sangani passes in Yemen, it occurred on rugged land over 2200 m.

Sharaf et al. (2022) - The type material of Camponotus jizani is represented by only two specimens, a paratype minor worker (CASENT0911619) that is deposited in NHMB, and a presumably holotype major worker (CASENT0922313) deposited in WMLC. Unfortunately, the card of the holotype specimen is cut and the data do not completely match the data mentioned in the original description except for the type locality (Fifa). In a discussion between M.R. Sharaf and C.A. Collingwood, the latter confirmed that these two specimens represent the type material of C. jizani. A comparison of the available holotype and paratype workers of C. jizani with the type material of C. flavomarginatus was carried out. We here treat C. jizani as a junior subjective synonym of C. flavomarginatus.

Numerous species similar to C. flavomarginatus exist in the Afrotropical Region. There is a large complex of species centered around Camponotus rufoglaucus, first described from India, and C. flavomarginatus. The complex comprises many broadly distributed species with numerous infraspecific taxa of dubious identity, and poorly preserved type material. Thus, the identification of this species complex as C. flavomarginatus is questionable.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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