Camponotus atimo

Camponotus atimo, endemic to Madagascar, generally occurs in the southern part of the island (Fig. 43D). Its habitats range from dry forest and coastal scrub on limestone of the southwestern region to the transitional forest in the extreme southeastern region and Uapaca woodland in the south-central region through the spiny forest and thicket in the extreme south of the island. Field work during the past 25 years has found this species foraging mostly on the ground and through leaf litter, and very rarely on lower vegetation. It usually nests under stones, in rotten logs and soil layers, and rarely in tree stumps.

Identification
With head in full-face view, lateral margins of head anterior to eye level parallel, lacking erect hairs; in oblique profile, four or more pairs of erect hairs arranged successively from level of anterior ocular margin towards posterior cephalic margin; clypeus with distinct anterolateral corner; in profile, junction of propodeal dorsum to declivity rounded; petiole nodelike and not anteroposteriorly compressed.

Camponotus atimo may be difficult to distinguish from Camponotus tapia in that both species have the same body shape and the dorsum of the head is fringed with four or more pairs of erect hairs arranged successively from the level of the anterior ocular margin towards the posterior cephalic margin. However, in C. tapia, the junction of the propodeal dorsum to declivity surface is angulate.

Camponotus atimo also may be confounded with Camponotus strangulatus, but the latter is characterized by the head having only three pairs of erect hairs arranged successively from the level of anterior ocular margin towards the posterior cephalic margin.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 * . Camponotus atimo Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022: 46, figs. 24A, 26B, 30A, 43 (s.w.) MADAGASCAR.

Type Material

 * Holotype worker. MADAGASCAR: Province Toliara: 3.5 km 236° SW Marovato, -25.55389, 45.25583, 230 m, spiny forest/thicket, ex rotten log, 14 Feb 2002 (Fisher, Griswold, and Arthropod Team) collection code: BLF05595, specimen code: CASENT0454042 (CAS).
 * Paratype. 1 major worker same data as holotype but specimen coded as: CASENT0454043 (major) (CAS).