Camponotus schoedli

A Weaver Ant that uses silk in its nest construction.

Identification
A member of the subgenus Karavaievia. This group of Camponotus species is known for their monomorphic workers and their nest weaving behavior.

Dumpert et al. (2006) - worker Head, mesosoma and legs reddish brown, gaster blackish. Head as long as wide. Preoccipital margin straight. Petiolar scale pointed when seen from front or behind. Clypeus as shiny as the rest of the head.

The head of this species is as long as wide. Other species with CI values of 100 or less than 100 are Camponotus exsectus, Camponotus overbecki, Camponotus texens and Camponotus maschwitzi. Within this group the species differ considerably from each other in their color with the exception of C. schoedli and C. maschwitzi. Both species have the same color: head, antennae and mesosoma reddish brown, gaster black. Workers of these species cannot be distinguished from each other. Gynes of these species, however, differ so much that there is enough reason to put them into two different species.

queen Frontal area much wider than high and poorly delimited. Anterior clypeal margin medially excised. Preoccipital margin concave. Petiolar scale pointed when seen from front or behind. Wholely reddish or blackish brown. The frontal area of this species is much wider than high and poorly delimited. The frontal area of C. maschwitzi is as wide as high and clearly delimited. Different from C. schoedli, the petiolar scale of C. maschwitzi is distinctly excised when seen from front or behind. Also the colors are quite different, in C. schoedli being blackish brown with reddish brown legs and antennae, in C. maschwitzi on the other hand, with head and mesosoma dark reddish brown, gaster blackish brown, and promesonotum and legs lighter.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Thailand.

Biology
We found two initial colonies of Camponotus schoedli in Khao Sok National Park. Both colonies consisted of a single pavilion. One was 3.5 cm long and 1 cm wide, the other 4 cm long and 1.2 cm wide and each had one entrance. They consisted mainly of hairy material, which is highly typical for Monomorium sp. (Weissflog 2001). Each pavilion contained some silk and was occupied by some coccids. One of the pavilions was inhabited by one queen, three small workers and one pupa covered by a very thin cocoon. The other one contained one wingless queen, three small workers, some larvae and one pupa also covered by a very thin cocoon. Both of these colonies contained the same species of coccid as we found in the Monomorium colonies. Close to the pavilions we found another Monomorium colony. The single pavilion of this colony contained brood and coccid trophobionts. Apparently the C. (K.) schoedli queens had taken over pavilions of this Monomorium sp. colony. (Dumpert et al. 2006)

General details about the biology of species in this subgenus can be found on the Karavaievia webpage.

Nomenclature

 *  schoedli. Camponotus (Karavaievia) schoedli Dumpert, in Dumpert, Maschwitz & Weissflog, 2006: 74, figs. 14, 15 (w.q.) THAILAND.

Worker
Holotype: TL 4.0, HW 1.05, HL 1.05, CI 100, OD 0.28, SL 1.27, SI 120.9, PW 0.65.

Head trapezoidal with rounded posterolateral corners; preoccipital margin straight in full face view. Head sides strongly rounded. Head as long as wide (CI 100.6 ± 3.4). Eyes situated behind midlength of head sides, maximum diameter 0.32 mm or 0.26 × HW. Frontal carinae nearly straight with slight projection behind scapal insertion. Carinae slightly divergent and extend to less than midlength of head. Anterior clypeal margin straight. Mandibles short, with lateral borders strongly curved and five subequal teeth on each masticatory border. Antennal scapes projecting beyond preoccipital margin by about one third of length. Pedicel longer than following flagellar segment; apical flagellar segments slightly thickened.

Mesosoma with deep metanotal groove and two elevateracles at deepest point of groove. Promesonotum, seen in profile, broadly rounded; propodeum slightly higher than promesonotum and nearly as rounded. Dorsal and descending parts of propodeum straight; descending part steeper than dorsal part. Petiolar scale triangular in profile with broad base tapering to dorsal transverse crest. Crest pointed when seen from front or behind.

Color of head and mesosoma dark reddish brown, gaster blackish brown; promesonotum and legs lighter. Surface of head, mesosoma and gaster shiny with dense distinct punctures especially on gaster. Clypeus as shiny as rest of head. Decumbent pubescence and additional longer erect and suberect yellowish white hairs on all body parts.

Queen
Paratype (n = 1): TL 9.5, HW 2.35, HL 2.25, CI 104.4, OD 0.73, SL 1.98, SI 84.3, PW 1.74.

Head nearly as long as wide (CI 104.4). Preoccipital margin concave, posterolateral corners rounded. Sides of head nearly straight. Eyes situated behind midlength of head sides. Frontal carinae extend about to midlength of head. Carinae almost straight and only slightly divergent. Anterior clypeal margin with semicircular excision. Frontal area much wider than high and poorly delimited. Posterior clypeal margin medially excised. Mandibles strong, rounded on outside and with 5 subequal teeth on inside. Petiolar profile with broad base tapering to transverse crest. Petiolar crest pointed when seen from front or behind.

Color of hind parts of head, pro- and mesonotum, upper parts of legs and antennal flagellum reddish brown, rest of body blackish brown in color. All body parts densely punctate and shiny and covered with decumbent pubescence, additional longer erect and suberect hairs.

Type Material
Holotype worker : Thailand, Khao Sok Park, 27.XII.1998, leg. U. Maschwitz. Paratype with same data as holotype, 1 queen (NHMB).

Etymology
The name is derived from the recently died great myrmecologist Stefan Schödl.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Dumpert, K., U. Maschwitz, and A. Weissflog. "Description of five new weaver ant species of Camponotus subgenus Karavaievia EMERY, 1925 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Malaysia and Thailand, with contribution to their biology, especially to colony foundation." Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8 (2006): 69-82.