Camponotus mirabilis

Established colonies occupy multiple culms of Guadua bamboo after workers chew entrances in young stems prior to lignification. Furthermore, C. mirabilis foundresses appear to initiate their colonies by invading Camponotus longipilis nests and taking over established coccid populations, a major source of food (honeydew). After culm walls have lignified, ants do not appear to be able to open entryways to unbreached internodes, and both live bamboo and dead bamboo specialists apparently depend either on entrances cut by other arthropods, or on cracks and fissures in fractured stems. After frequent damage to nest stems by Cebus monkeys, C. mirabilis colonies regularly abandon their stems and live coccids. (Davidson et al. 2006)

Identification
A member of the subgenus Myrmostenus.

Mackay (1997) - This is the most common species in the subgenus, and is also easily differentiated from all others. The head is greatly elongated and noticeably widened anteriorly. The occipital corners are strongly angulate as seen in full face view. The clypeus is nearly flat, with little evidence of a raised region in the area of the clypeal carina. All of the surfaces, including the dorsum of the head, are strongly polished.

This species is at the other extreme from Camponotus leptocephalus in terms of its morphology. The head is startling in view, greatly elongated and slender. The ventral surface of the head lacks erect hairs. The entire surface is shiny. The occipital angles are well differentiated from the remainder of the head.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Brazil, Peru.

Nomenclature

 *  mirabilis. Camponotus mirabilis Emery, 1903: 80, fig. 15 (q.) PERU. Combination in C. (Myrmomalis): Forel, 1914a: 271; in C. (Myrmostenus): Emery, 1920b: 260. See also: Mackay, 1997: 201.

Queen
Mackay (1997) - HL 4.18-4.70, HW 1.82-1.88, SL 2.08-2.24, EL 0.66-0.70, clypeal length 1.19- 1.28, clypeal width 0.98-1.08. Indices: SI 48-50, CI 40-44, clypea1 index 82-84.

Mandible with apical and subapical teeth large, well defined, at least 4 additional teeth defined to various degrees; clypeus weakly convex with little evidence of clypeal carina as slightly raised strip; clypeal border convex and rounded; scape short and not reaching posterior border of head; head more than twice as long as wide, noticeably widened near mandibles; vertex strongly concave, with occipital corners strongly angulate; maxillary palps very short, barely extending past buccal region; labial palps nearly as long as maxillary palps; propodeum with descending face about half length of basal face; petiole with strongly convex anterior face, nearly flat posterior face, thicker and less in height than in the other species.

Hairs erect, long, coarse and sparse on dorsum of head, pronotum, scutum and scutellum, propodeum, node of petiole and gaster; decumbent pubescence very weak and sparse on most surfaces.

Sculpture weak, shiny and polished on most surfaces.

Color medium brown, head, mandibles and scape somewhat darker, gaster with yellow blotches on both sides of anterior section of terga.

Type Material
Mackay (1997) - Lectotype queen [here designated], Vilcanota, Peru, Stdg; Camponotus mirabilis n. sp. [seen]; Marcapata, Peru; 2 paralectotypes [here designated], #21592 ( 2 queens. third female with same numbers and labels is C. longipilis).