Camponotus spinitarsus

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  spinitarsus. Camponotus (Dinomyrmex) spinitarsus Emery, 1920c: 22 (s.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in C. (Tanaemyrmex): Emery, 1925b: 91.

Description
Worker major. Black, anterior extremities of the cheeks, base of mandibles and trocanter ring rusty red, legs and gaster dark brown. Thick punctations cover the top of the head and thorax which are opaque, this becomes less distinct at the sides of the head and on the occiput which are both glossy. On the cheeks and clypeus there are piligerous pits from which originate rigid and obtuse tawny colored hairs. Upper side of the head hairy. Pubescence sparse, very fine and adpressed. Pilosity on the thorax and gaster few and fawn colored. The gaster is opaque on top, striated on the sides, glossy below. Head is longer than wide with a slight narrowing to the front with a bisinuous occipital border. Clypeus has a trace of a keel with a lobe protruding but rounded. Frontal ridges sigmoid, closely converging at the front, diverging behind. Mandibles with strongly curved exterior margin, with 6 teeth, sculptured with large punctations, striated towards the base. The scape does not extend behind the occipital corners. Profile of the thorax is a wide curve, the short sloping surface of the epinotum forming a wide and very obtuse angle with the basal surface. The node in the form of a node sharp on top, equally convex at the front and behind, a little higher than long. Legs robust; tibia non-prismatic, with 2 rows of barbs on the flexor surface; metatarsi (especially those of the mid and posterior legs) armed, not only on the flexor side but also on the dorsal side with small fawm colored barbs.

Length 15 mm., head 4.1 x 3.8; thorax 5.4; scape 3.4; posterior tibia 5 mm. Cooktown, Queesland(St. e B.-H.) a specimen. Species akin to C. subnitidus Mayr, of which the minor worker has been described and which might conveniently be described as a sub-species. But in that one the scape measures 4.3 mm and the posterior tibia 5 mm.. Therefore it is of a distinctly bigger form. The armour of barbs on the tibia and tarsus is much weaker.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Emery C. 1920. Studi sui Camponotus. Bullettino della Società Entomologica Italiana 52: 3-48.