Camponotus clarior

A principally eastern, eremaean species that is known in the SWBP from a single collection taken by McArthur from just south of the Billabong Roadhouse, near Shark Bay. The ants were collected from a nest in a hollow branch overhanging a conical mound of excavated soil directly under the nest (A. McArthur, pers. comm.). Elsewhere in WA, workers of this species have been collected from the Queen Victoria Spring Nature Reserve, north-east of Kalgoorlie. (Heterick 2009)

Identification
Heterick (2009) - Camponotus clarior strongly resembles C. nigriceps, but have a pale coloured head, concolorous with the mesosoma and node.

Distribution
Mallee areas of central southern Australia. (McArthur and Adams 1996)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  clarior. Camponotus nigriceps var. clarior Forel, 1902h: 506 (s.w.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in C. (Tanaemyrmex): Emery, 1925b: 103. Junior synonym of pallidiceps: Wheeler, W.M. 1933b: 23. Revived from synonymy as subspecies of nigriceps: Clark, 1934c: 71; Taylor & Brown, D.R. 1985: 117. Raised to species: McArthur & Adams, 1996: 20.

Description
Worker. Length 6.5 to 12 mm Entirely yellowish reddish testaceous, with head and gaster of a yellow which is a little more brownish in the case of the major worker.

Bendigo Victoria (Froggatt)