Camponotus tergestinus

Camponotus tergestinus is an arboricolous species, nesting in trunk cavities or large branches in the tree canopy, as already indicated by other authors (Wiezik & Wieziková 2013). As it nests and forages in trees, it can be defined as a true arboricolous species (Seifert 2008). Moreover, we assume that C. tergestinus is associated with oaks. Oaks are constantly reported in relation to previous records of C. tergestinus (Müller 1921,  Ionescu-Hirsch et al. 2009, Lapeva-Gjonova & Kiran 2012,  Wiezik  &  Wieziková  2013). One exception  is  the  record  of  a  single  specimen  from Paklenica NP (Croatia), where a beech forest is mentioned as habitat (Ješovnik et al. 2011). It is quite possible, however, that this specimen of C. tergestinus was accidentally collected in a lower section of the Park, where oaks are more common (A. Ješovnik & M. Zec, pers. comm. 2017). In general, different Quercus species, especially old trees with rough bark and cavities, are preferentially inhabited by several other arboricolous ant species, e.g. Camponotus fallax, Colobopsis truncata, Dolichoderus quadripunctatus, Temnothorax affinis, Temnothorax corticalis (Schenck, 1852) (Buschinger 1993, Seifert 2007, 2008). Based on the present and previous findings, C. tergestinus can be considered a thermophilous species, preferring warm habitats where oaks are present. (Bracko, 2017)

Distribution
Marko et al. (2009) - This species shows a scattered distribution. It is currently known from a few locations in Italy (F. Rigato pers. comm.), from Slovenia (Bračko 2007), Hungary (Ionescu-Hirsch et al. 2009) and from the European part of Turkey (Agosti and Collingwood 1987a).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey.

Nomenclature

 * . Camponotus tergestinus Müller, 1921: 46 (w.q.) ITALY.
 * Combination in C. (Myrmentoma): Emery, 1925b: 119.
 * Status as species: Müller, 1923a: 73; Müller, 1923b: 161; Emery, 1925b: 119; Menozzi, 1928a: 129; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 196; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a: 59; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b: 283 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 126; Poldi, et al. 1995: 7; Petrov, 2006: 108 (in key); Bračko, 2007: 19; Ionescu-Hirsch, et al. 2009: 20; Csösz, et al. 2011: 58; Kiran & Karaman, 2012: 8; Karaman, C. & Aktaç, 2013: 51 (in key); Borowiec, L. 2014: 43; Lebas, et al. 2016: 134; Seifert, 2018: 261.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Bracko G. 2007. Checklist of the ants of Slovenia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Natura Sloveniae 9: 15-24
 * Csősz S., B. Markó, and L. Gallé. 2011. The myrmecofauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Hungary: an updated checklist. North-Western Journal of Zoology 7: 55-62.
 * Czechowski W., A. Radchenko, W. Czechowska and K. Vepsäläinen. 2012. The ants of Poland with reference to the myrmecofauna of Europe. Fauna Poloniae 4. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 1-496 pp
 * Ionescu-Hirsch, B. Marko, and S. Csosz. 2009. Camponotus tergestinus Müller, 1921 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): first records of a rare species for Romania and Hungary. Entomologica romanica 14: 19-22.
 * Jesovnik A., J. Bujan, and G. Bracko. 2011. One genus and three species of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) new for Croatia. Entomol. Croat. 15 1-4: 113-122.
 * Kiran K., and C. Karaman. 2012. First annotated checklist of the ant fauna of Turkey (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 3548: 1-38.
 * Markó B., A. Ionescu-Hirsch, and A. Szász-Len. 2009. Genus Camponotus Mayr, 1861 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Romania: distribution and identification key to the worker caste. Entomologica Romanica 14: 29-41.
 * Müller G. 1921. Due nuove formiche della regione Adriatica. Boll. Soc. Adriat. Sci. Nat. Trieste 27(2): 46-49.
 * Petrov I. Z., and C. A. Collingwood. 1992. Survey of the myrmecofauna (Formicidae, Hymenoptera) of Yugoslavia. Archives of Biological Sciences (Belgrade) 44: 79-91.
 * Schifani E., and A. Alicata. 2018. Exploring the myrmecofauna of Sicily: thirty-two new ant species recorded, including six new to Italy and many new aliens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Polish Journal of Entomology 87 (4): 323–348.
 * Tausan I. 2016. First record of Camponotus lateralis (Olivier, 1792)(Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Dobrogea (Romania). Brukenthal. Acta Musei, 11: 443-446.
 * Tausan I., and A. Lapeva-Gjonova. 2017. Camponotus samius Forel, 1889 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) – at the north edge of its European distribution. North-Western Journal of Zoology: e177201