Camponotus hovahovoides

A widely distributed species, C. hovahovoides occurs mainly in the eastern lowland to montane rainforests and montane shrublands of Madagascar (Fig. 59G). Colonies can be found mostly in rotten logs and sticks or in rotting tree stumps; they are seldom established in dead branches or twigs above the ground. Workers forage on the ground or through leaf litter, rarely on lower parts of vegetation. (Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022)

Identification
Lateral cephalic margins approximately parallel in full-face view; two apical teeth of mandible normally spaced; antennal scape covered with suberect hairs; in lateral view, dorsum of mesosoma from mid-mesonotum to posterodorsal corner of propodeum approximately straight, propodeal dorsum ca. 3 × as long as the height of declivity surface; petiolar node flattened anteroposteriorly.

See also discussion under Camponotus mixtellus. Camponotus hovahovoides is one of the more common species of Myrmosaga occupying the montane rainforests of Madagascar and shows notable morphological variation. Two variants are recognized based on the shapes of the mesosoma and body colors, but these merge progressively into one typical form across the geographic distribution of the species.

Variant 1. In this variant the posterior 1/2 of mesonotum to posterodorsal corner of propodeum is not straight in lateral view and the body is pale yellow to reddish orange in color.

Variant 2. This variant is known by a dorsum of mesosoma from mid-mesonotum to posterodorsal corner of propodeum that is approximately straight, and its body is dark brown to black in color or the mesosoma is lighter in color relative to the darker head and gaster. Workers of this variant have been collected from mountaintops. (Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 * . Camponotus hovahovoides Forel, 1892l: 232 (w.q.m.) MADAGASCAR.
 * [This taxon is captioned as a species, but the text states, “Forme intermédiaire entre la race hova et la variété hovoides”.]
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1896d: 370 (in list); Emery, 1920c: 5; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1040.
 * Subspecies of hova: Dalla Torre, 1893: 235; Emery, 1925b: 85; Bolton, 1995b: 104.
 * hovoides. Camponotus radamae var. hovoides Dalla Torre, 1893: 249.
 * [First available use of Camponotus maculatus r. radamae var. hovoides Forel, 1891b: 33 (s.w.q.m.) MADAGASCAR; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * Combination in C. (Tanaemyrmex): Emery, 1925b: 85.
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1896d: 370 (in list); Forel, 1907g: 89; Santschi, 1911e: 131 (caption of fig. 3f); Emery, 1920c: 5; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1041.
 * Subspecies of hova: Santschi, 1911e: 132; Emery, 1925b: 85; Bolton, 1995b: 104.
 * Junior synonym of hovahovoides: Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022: 104.

Type Material
Camponotus hovahovoides
 * Syntype minor and major workers, queen and male, Madagascar, Andrangoloaka (Sikora) (MHNG) [Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022]; 1 syntype minor worker designated as lectotype, by present designation, AntWeb CASENT0101335.
 * Paralectotypes with same data as lectotype but: 1 major worker CASENT0101851 (MHNG), 1 queen CASENT0101629 (MHNG), 1 male CASENT0101759 (MHNG) [Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022].

Camponotus radamae hovoides
 * Syntype minor and major workers, queen and male, Madagascar; 1 syntype minor worker designated as lectotype, by present designation, Antananarivo (Camboué) AntWeb CASENT0101421 (MNHN) [Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022].
 * Paralectotypes: 2 minor workers CASENT0101429 (MNHN), CASENT0101337 (MHNG); 1 queen CASENT0101412 (MNHN); Madagascar (Hildebrandt) 1 major worker CASENT0101954 (MHNG) and 1 male CASENT0101782 (MHNG) [Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022].

Taxonomic Notes
Camponotus hovahovoides has a wide distribution across the humid forest in Madagascar, this information combined with the results of the comparison of the syntype specimens of C. radamae hovoides with those of C. hovahovoides indicate that there is no strong morphological difference between both taxa. The few specimens of C. radamae hovoides represent a rare variation of C. hovahovoides across its geographic distribution. (Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022)