Camponotus kubaryi

Identification
Clouse et al. (2016) - Mayr’s (1876) description of this species consists of a few lines that describe it as 7.5 - 9.5 mm long, reddish-brown, and with a darker head, mandibles, and antennae, plus some description of characters that do little to distinguish it beyond being in the genus Camponotus.

Although this species is restricted to the islands of the Republic of Palau, which constitute an area of less than 500 km2 over 800 km away from any major landmass, it still shows noticeable morphological variation (for example, the head shapes and colors of syntypes). This may be due to the fact that the country is comprised of over 200 small limestone islands, which may divide this species into many somewhat isolated populations. Nonetheless, despite variation in tone and shade, and the degree to which the head is tapered and the vertex concave, it is the only Camponotus in Micronesia with a large, dark head, and its restriction to Palau makes identification straightforward.

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

Biology
The phylogeography of a group of Pacific Island Camponotus species, which included a number of species groups, was broadly examined by Clouse et al. (2015). They found Camponotus kubaryi is a member of a clade (Clade IV) that tenuously appears to have originated in the Australian wet tropics but has undoubtedly spread and speciated across the Pacific Islands.

Nomenclature

 *  kubaryi. Camponotus kubaryi Mayr, 1876: 66 (s.w.) PALAU IS.
 * Combination in C. (Myrmoturba): Forel, 1914a: 267.
 * Combinaiton in C. (Tanaemyrmex): Emery, 1925b: 94.
 * Subspecies of maculatus: Emery, 1896d: 370.
 * Subspecies of irritans: Emery, 1920c: 7; Karavaiev, 1929c: 236.
 * Status as species: Clouse et al., 2016: 147.

Worker
Clouse et al. (2016) - Majors: EL 0.59 (range 0.56 - 0.60), EW 0.43 (0.40 - 0.45), FCL 1.49 (1.45 - 1.55), HL 2.75 (2.56 - 2.95), HW 2.60 (2.40 - 2.75), ML 3.35 (3.16 - 3.55), MTL 2.02 (1.97 - 2.10), PH 0.96 (0.73 - 1.10), PL 0.72 (0.56 - 0.85), SL 2.15 (2.10 - 2.20); CI 94 (93 - 96), SI 83 (80 - 88); mesosoma medium yellow, head and gaster much darker, approaching black; head tapering and vertex distinctly concave; standing hairs present on propleuron and hind femur. Minors: EL 0.46 (0.45 - 0.46), EW 0.36 (0.35 - 0.36), FCL 1.17 (1.10 - 1.24), HL 1.71 (1.60 - 1.82), HW 1.35 (1.20 - 1.50), ML 2.73 (2.45 - 3.00), MTL 2.09 (1.70 - 2.48), PH 0.77 (0.70 - 0.84), PL 0.48 (0.36 - 0.60), SL 2.01 (2.00 - 2.02); CI 79 (75 - 82), SI 150 (134 - 167); mesosoma light yellow, head and gaster much darker, approaching black; head tapering and vertex convex.

Determination Clarifications
Clouse et al. (2016) - These characters match those of three other specimens not used in this study but described in Clouse (2007a) under the species code "sp. 1945". The specimens can now be securely identified as C. kubaryi. The two majors had total lengths of 8.2 and 7.9 mm, matching Mayr’s original description, and the following other measurements are very similar to those of the specimens we examined here: HL 3.00, HW 2.83, SL 2.30, CI 94, and SI 81 for the larger specimen, and HL 2.73, HW 2.63, SL 2.07, CI 96, and SI 87 for the smaller. Likewise, the minor specimen of "sp. 1945" is very similar to the ones here: HL 1.77, HW 1.33, SL 1.77, CI 75, and SI 133.