Camponotus aurosus

The distribution of C. aurosus is restricted to Mauritius and Reunion islands. In these islands, this species occupies primary and disturbed rainforest habitats, where workers have been found foraging on the ground and on lower vegetation and nest sites have been located in rotten logs, in the ground, under stones, in termite nests and in tree trunks.

Identification
In full-face view, lateral margin of head anterior to eye level diverging posteriorly and covered with erect hairs; anterior clypeal margin broadly triangular or convex; mesosoma in profile short and high; gastral tergites covered with abundant pubescence; head and gaster black, mesosoma reddish orange to brown.

Camponotus aurosus is similar to Camponotus hagensii with respect to the shape of the head and the presence of erect hairs on the lateral cephalic margin, but the latter is characterized by the straight anteromedian margin of its clypeus, low and long mesosoma, and the presence of some pubescence on the gastral tergites.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion.

Nomenclature

 * . Camponotus aurosus Roger, 1863a: 134 (w.) MAURITIUS.
 * Combination in C. (Myrmepomis): Emery, 1920b: 258;
 * combination in C. (Myrmosericus): Forel, 1914a: 268.
 * Status as species: Roger, 1863b: 2; Mayr, 1863: 458; Smith, F. 1871a: 306; Forel, 1891b: 36 (redescription); Dalla Torre, 1893: 222; Emery, 1896d: 372 (in list); Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1044; Emery, 1925b: 105; Donisthorpe, 1946e: 34; Donisthorpe, 1949e: 275; Bolton, 1995b: 87; Blard, et al. 2003: 129.

Type Material
Syntype workers, Mauritius (Roger) (ZMHB); one syntype minor worker designated as lectotype, by present designation, AntWeb CASENT0104620 (ZMHB) [Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022].

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Donisthorpe H. 1949. A new Camponotus from Madagascar and a small collection of ants from Mauritius. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (12)2: 271-275.
 * Donisthorpe, Horace. 1946. The Ants (Hym. Formicidae) of Mauritius. Annals and Magazine of National History. Ser. 11. 13:25-35.
 * Emery C. 1886. Saggio di un catalogo sistematico dei generi Camponotus, Polyrhachis e affini. Memorie della Reale Accademia delle Scienze dell'Istituto di Bologna 5: 363-382
 * Fisher B. L. 1997. Biogeography and ecology of the ant fauna of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Natural History 31: 269-302.
 * Fisher B. L. 2005. A new species of Discothyrea Roger from Mauritius and a new species of Proceratium Roger from Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences (4)56: 657-667.
 * Mamet R. 1954. The ants (Hymenoptera Formicidae) of the Mascarene Islands. Mauritius Inst. Bull. 3: 249-259.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. IX. A synonymic list of the ants of the Malagasy region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 1005-1055