Camponotus culmicola

Few collections of this Bahamian Camponotus species have been made since its description by Wheeler.

Identification
Wheeler (1905) - It is doubtful whether C. culmicola should be regarded as more than a subspecies of Camponotus impressus of Florida. The soldier of the new form is larger, and has a less convex and thickset thorax, but the other differences may be unimportant. C. culmicola differs from Camponotus pylartes of Texas in not having inflated cheeks or yellow bands on the gaster in the soldier and worker, though these bands are present in the female. It would be permissible to regard pylartes also as a subspecies of impressus.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bahamas.

Biology
Wheeler (1905) - Many specimens of all four phases from the keys along the course of the Southern Bight, Andros Island, and near Blue Hills, N. P. The colonies were all found nesting in the hollow culms of Cladium jamaicense along the damp edges of the “swashes.” The internode of the culm is perforated; by the ants with a circular opening, which is exactly occluded by the head of the soldier guarding the nest (Figs. V and W). Sometimes the nests extend over several internodes of the same stem, and in such cases there may be two or more circular openings guarded by as many soldiers. One dealated female was found in the act of starting her colony. Males and winged females were abundant in the nests taken in the Southern Bight, May 23, but were absent or rare in the colonies taken in New Providence as late as June 25.

Nomenclature

 *  culmicola. Camponotus (Colobopsis) culmicola Wheeler, W.M. 1905b: 117, figs. V, W; pl. 7, figs. 10, 11 (s.w.q.m.) BAHAMAS. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1953e: 190 (l.). Current subspecies: nominal plus haweisi.

Worker
Soldier Length 5.3-6.5 mm.

Very closely related to Colobopsis impressus Roger and C. pylartes Wheeler. Head subcylindrical, rectangular from above, a little longer than broad, sides parallel, occipital border straight, with rounded angles; anterior truncated surface concave with distinctly carinate edge on the sides, but rounded in the clypeal and adjacent regions. Mandibles with a convex ventral border, four teeth, and a short toothless proximal portion to the blade. Clypeus on the truncated surface nearly twice as long as broad, broadest above, extending on to the dorsal surface of the head as a transversely oblong piece (twice as long as broad. A median carina runs the full length of the clypeus. Frontal carinae far apart, distinctly converging anteriorly, slightly convex exteriorly. Eyes moderate, flattened, their anterior orbits about X the distance from the posterior corner of the head to the tip of the mandibles. Antennal scapes slender, curved at the base, enlarging towards their tips which exceed the posterior corners of the head by a distance about equal to their transverse diameter. Funicular joints subequal, except the first, which is nearly as long as the two succeeding joints together. Thorax more robust than that of C. pylartes, but less robust than that of C. impressus. Pronotum as long as broad, mesonotum nearly as long as broad. Mesoepinotal constriction deep and long; basal epinotal surface slightly convex, a little longer than the flattened declivity with which it forms almost a rounded right angle. Petiole very low, with a subcuboidal node, distinctly impressed in the middle above and behind. Gaster large, oblong elliptical, somewhat flattened dorsoventrally. Legs short, femora compressed, anterior pair distinctly dilated.

Mandibles opaque, finely punctate and obscurely reticulate-rugose. Anterior half of head subopaque, coarsely and rather regularly reticulate-rugose, the interrugal spaces being densely punctate. On the front and cheeks the sculpture passes over into shallow, umbilicately punctate foveola. Behind this region the surface for a short distance is very finely and densely punctate. Remainder of head and body shining, very finely but distinctly shagreened; meso- and epinotum subopaque.

Cheeks and anterior dorsal surface of head with short, erect, obtuse yellowish hairs. There are also a few erect white hairs on the vertex, tips of antennal scapes and femora, and on the gastric segments.

Dark brown, posterior two thirds of head darker, gaster and mandibular teeth black; remainder of mandibles and anterior third of head yellowish brown.

Minor Length 4-4.5 mm.

Head a little longer than broad, slightly broader behind than in front, cheeks convex. Mandibles 5-toothed, when closed having their outer borders more projecting than in the worker of C. impressus. Clypeus nearly square, obscurely keeled. Frontal carina converging in front. Antenna more slender and proportionally longer than in the soldier, extending about their length beyond the posterior corners of the head. Thorax and petiole resembling the corresponding parts of the soldier. Gaster proportionally smaller and more pointed.

Body and appendages subopaque, gaster and posterior portion of head shining; whole surface shagreened, more sharply on the head and thorax, so that these parts have a silky lustre. Cheeks and front with indistinct, scattered punctures.

Hairs and pubescence white, very sparse; the former confined to the head and gaster, the latter most conspicuous on the cheeks and legs. Dark brown, antennae somewhat paler in some specimens; gaster black, immaculate.

Queen
Length 6.5-7 mm.

Head like that of the soldier but more elongate and without carinate edges to the truncated portion in the region of the cheeks. Antennal scapes projecting about twice as far beyond the posterior corners of the head. Sculpture and pilosity as in the soldier.

Dark brown; gaster black; anterior fourth of the head yellowish; articulations of the thorax and legs whitish; first, second, and third gastric segments yellow at the base; the lighter colof confined to the extreme base of the first segment, broad and conspicuous on the second, and on the third very narrow and often concealed, except at the sides, by the posterior edge of the second segment; ventral surfaces of the first and second segments more or less yellow. Wings whitish hyaline, with very pale yellow veins and stigma.

Male
Length 4-4.5 mm.

Head, including the mandibles, a little longer than broad, with prominent eyes and ocelli; cheeks slightly converging anteriorly, posterior corners broadly rounded. Mandibles pointed, toothless, overlapping when closed. Clypeus sharply keeled. Antennae slender; scape more than half as long as the funiculus, which is filiform and consists of subequal joints, with the exception of the conspicuously incrassated first joint. Thorax robust; mesonotum longer than broad, forming a regular ellipse with the scutellum. Epinotum steep, evenly rounded, so that basal and declivous surfaces are indistinguishable. Petiole very low, longer than high, thick and blunt above, somewhat impressed in the middle. Legs and gaster slender, the latter with slender genital appendages.

Shining throughout, finely shagreened, especially on the head and thorax.

Hairs whitish, much scattered, suberect, confined to the head and gaster. Pubescence lacking except on the antennal scapes.

Dark brown; head nearly black; mandibles, genitalia, articulation of the antennae, legs, thorax, and gaster sordid yellow. Wings like those of the female.