Camponotus libanicus

Identification
Ionescu-Hirsch (2009) - C. libanicus belongs to the Camponotus kiesenwetteri species group (Radchenko, 1997c). The Israeli specimens vary in size and show allometric relationships between body measures. Major workers (n = 7) have a slightly wider than long head and a short scape (SL/HW = 0.86–1.01), while minor workers (n = 10) have a more elongate head (HW/HL = 0.91–0.96) and a relatively longer scape (SL/HW = 1.04–1.13). Petiolar scale thickness of C. libanicus is variable (0.29–0.35 mm), and its shape in lateral view varies from thin, anteriorly concave proximally and moderately convex distally, to thick and anteriorly strongly convex. C. libanicus specimens from Israel are similar to Camponotus nadimi from which they differ only by the anteriorly convex or truncated clypeus with slight indentation medially in major workers and gyne, as opposed to an anteromedially emarginated clypeus in C. nadimi, and by a generally thicker petiolar scale in media and minor workers (range = 0.29–0.35 mm, n = 12, as compared to 0.27–0.33 mm, n = 7). According to Emery (1915), C. libanicus is similar to Camponotus aegaeus from which it differs by the thickness of the petiolar scale. One minor worker of C. aegaeus from Turkey has a thin scale (0.26 mm), with the outline of the anterior surface straight proximally and slightly convex distally, identical in shape to the petiolar scale of a minor worker depicted by Emery (1915, fig. 2b, p. 5), and thinner than in the examined specimens of C. libanicus of similar size.

Israeli specimens show much greater variability of size than that described in Tohmé’s (1969b) redescription of the species, i.e., they are not monomorphic, as stated by Tohmé (1969b). Minor workers with thin petiolar scale cannot be distinguished from C. nadimi minors when collected in isolation.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Greece, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey.

Nomenclature

 *  libanicus. Camponotus libanicus André, 1881b: 54, pl. 3, figs. 14, 15 (w.) LEBANON. Forel, 1911d: 355 (q.); Tohmé, G. 1969: 11 (m.). Combination in C. (Orthonotomyrmex): Forel, 1913d: 435; in C. (Myrmentoma): Emery, 1925b: 121; Menozzi, 1936d: 304. Senior synonym of sahlbergi: Radchenko, 1996b: 1197 (in key); Radchenko, 1997b: 705.
 * sahlbergi. Camponotus (Orthonotomyrmex) libanicus r. sahlbergi Forel, 1913d: 435 (s.w.) TURKEY. Combination in C. (Myrmentoma): Emery, 1925b: 121. Junior synonym of libanicus: Radchenko, 1996b: 1197 (in key).