Camponotus nigripes

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 (1995) - Typical for this species is the colour of the worker ants and especially the colour of their legs. The comparison with the similar dark Camponotus orinus shows that the worker ants of this species are bigger on an average and even darker but their legs are reddish brown while those of C. nigripes are blackish brown. Also the worker ants of Camponotus melanus are dark in colour. They are uniformly dark brown, including the legs. C. nigripes in contrast, has middle brown head and alitrunk but blackish brown legs. In addition. C. melanus workers are more shining than those of C. nigripes. Workers of Camponotus texens are much more shining and lighter than those of C. nigripes. Workers of Camponotus gombaki are as opaque as those of C. nigripes, but their legs are as reddish brown as head and alitrunk.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Malaysia.

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

Nomenclature

 *  nigripes. Camponotus (Karavaievia) nigripes Dumpert, in Dumpert, Maschwitz, et al. 1995: 96, fig. 6 (w.) WEST MALAYSIA. [Unresolved junior secondary homonym of nigripes Wheeler, above.]

Worker
Holotype: TL 5.2, HL 1.1, HW 1.1, CI 100, SL 1.3, SI 83, PW 0.75, OD 0.33.

Head trapezoidal, with rounded occipital corners; occipital margin straight, head sides convex. Length of head equal to its width (CI 100). Eyes are situated behind the midlength of the sides of the head; their maximum diameter 0.33 mm or 0.3 HW. Apart from a slight projection behind the scapal insertion, frontal carinae are straight, slightly divergent, and extend to about mid1ength 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 the occipital margin by about one third of their length. Pedicell longer than the following flagellar segments; apical flagellar segments slightly thickened.

Alitrunk with a deep impression between promesonotum and propodeum, and two raised stigmata at the deepest point of the impression. Promesonotum, seen in profile, broadly rounded and higher than propodeum. Propodeal profile considerably flattened on top. Petiole with a broad base, tapering toward the apex into a narrow ridge, seen from the side. Petiolar apex, seen from front or behind, rounded.

Head, most of the alitrunk, and gaster middle to dark brown, pronotum lighter, legs and antennae dark to blackish brown. Surface of head, alitrunk and gaster opaque, covered with very dense punctures; cuticular structure under SEM strongly reticulated. Yellowish white decumbent pubescence scarce. Longer erect and suberect hairs scarce on head and gaster and nearly lacking on alitrunk.

Paratypes: 5.3 ± 0.2 (standard deviation), HL 1.25 ± 0.08, HW 1.28 ± 0.1, CI 100.5 ± 0.03, SL 1.48 ± 0.06, SI 85.7 ± 3.4, PW 0.79 ± 0.02, OD 0.33 ± 0.015 (21 measured).

Type Material
Holotype worker, Peninsular Malaysia, Belum, primary rain forest 320 m above sea level, 3 m above ground on a tree. March/3/1994, A. Weissflog leg. (Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel).

Paratypes: 21 workers with same data as holotype (2 in Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University; 2 Forest Research Institute of Malaysia in Kepong; 2 in Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genova; 15 in collection of the author).

Etymology
The name is derived from the fact that this is the only known Karavaievia species with dark legs.