Camponotus versicolor

Camponotus versicolor is an uncommon species which is limited to a narrow band across southern Western Australia. Essentially nothing is known concerning the biology of this species.

Identification
Tibiae and scapes lacking erect hairs. In minor workers, metanotal groove angular to slightly depressed below the anterior region of the propodeum; dorsal surface of petiolar node in minors relatively long and flat to weakly convex, its anterior face much shorter than the posterior face. Mesosoma black and with at least the first two gastral tergites red and distinctly lighter in colour than the propodeum, gastral tergites never with golden-yellow bands. It is most similar to Camponotus aurocinctus and can be separated from it by the darker body colour and red gastral tergites. Minor workers of C. aurocinctus also have larger numbers of erect hairs on the head and mesosoma compared to this species. The configuration of the metanotal groove combined with the distinctively coloured gaster will separate C. versicolor from close relatives.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  versicolor. Camponotus (Myrmosaulus) versicolor Clark, 1930a: 122 (s.w.) AUSTRALIA. See also: Shattuck & McArthur, 2002: 84.

Major worker
Dorsal surfaces of pronotum and mesonotum convex and separated by a shallow angle; propodeum uniformly convex without a distinct angle; petiolar node with parallel anterior and posterior faces, its upper surface slightly elongated flat to weakly convex. Erect hairs sparse on outline of head including underside, scattered on mesosoma, petiole, coxa and gaster, absent from tibiae and scapes. Anterior clypeal margin weakly convex. Body red-black, head and petiole slightly lighter than mesosoma; gaster with the first two tergites red, the remainder red-black.

Minor worker
Anterior clypeal margin convex. Dorsal surfaces of pronotum and mesonotum convex and separated by a shallow, broad angle; metanotal groove either a broad angle or a shallow trough; dorsal and posterior faces of propodeum flat to weakly convex and separated by at most a gentle angle. Anterior face of petiolar node short and separated from the dorsal face by a distinct angle, dorsal face elongate and flat to weakly convex and separated from the posterior face by a broad, rounded angle, posterior face flat. Erect hairs abundant on outline and underside of head, mesosoma, petiole, coxa and gaster; erect hairs absent from scapes and tibiae. Body dark red-black or black with the head sometimes slightly lighter; gaster with at least the first two tergites red and the remainder dark red-black, or sometimes entirely red.

Measurements
Workers (n=7). Cl 0.82 (minors) — 1.06 (majors); HL 2.23mm — 3.20mm; HW 1.83mm — 3.42mm; ML 3.96mm — 4.86mm; MTL 2.72mm — 3.00mm; SI 1.45 (majors) — 1.60 (minors); SL 2.93mm — 4.95mm.

Worker major.-Length, 14.8-16 mm. Black. Cheeks, funiculus and first two segments of the gaster blood red. Terminal segments of the tarsi brown. Subopaque. Mandibles finely and densely striate. Head, thorax and gaster microscopically reticulate and finely punctate. Hair yellow, very sparse throughout, except on the clypeus and under side of the head, where they are rather long and abundant. Pubescence not apparent. Head almost one third broader than long, the occipital border concave, the sides strongly convex. Frontal carinae diverging slightly behind, with a sharp longitudinal groove between them, extending to, and including, the anterior ocellus. Clypeus broad and convex, without traces of a carina, the anterior border convex, hardly produced; there is a deep fovea on each side near the middle. Eyes circular; rather flat. The anterior ocellus only present. Scapes extending beyond the occipital border by about twice their thickness; second and third segments of the funiculus of equal length, longer than the first. Mandibles large, armed with six large sharp teeth. Thorax barely twice as long as broad. Pronotum four times broader than long, strongly convex in front and on the sides. Mesonotum circular, the dorsum convex in front, flattened behind, with indications of a longitudinal groove in front. A deep, but not wide, constriction between the mesonotum and epinotum, the latter longer than broad; in profile convex from the anterior border to the bottom of the declivity, without traces of a boundary between them. Node twice as broad as long, all four sides and the dorsum convex; in profile one third higher than long, the dorsum convex. Gaster one fourth longer than broad. Legs long and robust. Worker minor.-Length, 8.5-10 mm. Color and sculpture as in the major. Pubescence much more abundant, very fine and adpressed. Head longer than broad, the occipital border strongly convex, the sides straight, parallel. Clypeus distinctly carinate. Scapes passing the occipital border by more than half their length. Eyes large and convex. Mandibles with eight to nine large sharp teeth. Thorax similar but much more slender. Node one fourth longer than broad, the anterior and posterior faces straight, the sides convex; in profile as high as long, the anterior face straight, vertical, the dorsum straight, flat, the posterior face convex, rounded into the dorsum. Legs long and slender. The rest as in the major. Habitat.-Western Australia: Emu Rocks (H.Reynolds). This very distinct species is not near any other known to me. A large series of both forms was collected by Mr Reynolds at Emu Rocks, on the Rabbit-proof Fence, East of Ongerup.