Camponotus fabricator

Smith (1858) described Camponotus fabricator from St Helena. Mayr (1886) reclassified it as a variety of Camponotus sylvaticus. Dalla Torre (1893) revived its status to full species. Emery (1896) considered it a subspecies of Camponotus maculatus. Forel (1914) revived C. fabricator to full species status.

X. Espadaler examined one major type specimen and determined that it is not C. sylvaticus, C. maculatus, or any known European species. Nor did it fit any North American species in Creighton's (1950) key or publicated digital images available on the web. Disturbingly, the specimen also did not fit Smith's (1858) original description of C. fabricator as a "smooth and shining" species. The type specimen is a major worker that is dull with a fine reticulate sculpture on head and mesosoma; gaster transversely finely striate. This difference in sculpture of worker is very apparent. The head, gaster, and upper half of mesosoma are dark brown, the legs are brownish red, and the funiculus is brownish yellow. Some Camponotus from Africa (e.g., Camponotus acvapimensis) and India (e.g., Camponotus festinus) have similar coloration. The combination of a dull, dark, bicolored worker with very short and sparse pubescence and poorly developed pilosity (four pronotal hairs, three propodeal hairs, total of five hairs on the central part of tergites 1-3 of gaster), tibiae with erect bristles, and a relatively small size (HW 3.4, HL 3.3, SL 2.8, total length ~11 mm) is not known in any other Camponotus species. Pending further revision we regard this species as validd.

This species is the sole ant species known only from a Mid-Atlantic Ridge island. Still, it is likely that this is an exotic Old World species brought into St Helena on imported goods. Donisthorpe (1927) recorded several species of exotic Camponotus on imported wood, flowers, food products in England (also see Wetterer & Wetterer 2004, Wetterer & al. 2006). Camponotus fabricator may be extinct on St Helena. (Wetterer et al., 2007)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saint Helena.

Nomenclature

 * . Formica fabricator Smith, F. 1858b: 35 (s.w.q.) ST HELENA I.
 * Combination in Camponotus: Roger, 1863b: 2;
 * combination in C. (Myrmoturba): Forel, 1914a: 267;
 * combination in C. (Tanaemyrmex): Emery, 1925b: 104.
 * Subspecies of sylvaticus: Mayr, 1886c: 355.
 * Subspecies of maculatus: Emery, 1896d: 371 (in list).
 * Status as species: Mayr, 1863: 414; Roger, 1863b: 2; Dalla Torre, 1893: 230; Forel, 1914a: 267; Emery, 1925b: 104; Bolton, 1995b: 98; Wetterer, Espadaler, Ashmole, et al. 2007: 31.