Camponotus pallidiceps

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
A member of the Camponotus nigriceps species group. McArthur and Adams (1996) - Most of the largest major workers possess a distinctive scalloped summit of the node when viewed from the rear. As worker size decreases this scallop fades with the summit becoming flat or slightly convex. Sometimes Camponotus consobrinus displays a feeble scallop at the node summit. It can be separated from C. consobrinus by gula setae wh1ch are sparse in C. pallidiceps particularly in minor workers and absent in C. consobrinus.

Distribution
McArthur and Adams (1996) - The known distribution is centered on the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, with a single collection from the Armidale region.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  pallidiceps. Camponotus nigriceps var. pallidiceps Emery, 1887a: 211 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in C. (Tanaemyrmex): Emery, 1925b: 103. Raised to species: McArthur & Adams, 1996: 38. See also: Clark, 1934c: 71.

Description
Worker and Female. The abdomen is all dark, but the head is generally a light rusty color, with a darker hazy mark on the vertex which leaves clear both sides of the head and the lateral swelling of the occiput. The markings on the outside of the head and the hair on the legs are identical with that of the type nigriceps Smith.

Worker
McArthur and Adams (1996) - Colour: brown with lighter patches on head and mesosoma, mandibles and anterior clypeus darker, legs and node lighter, gaster black or dark brown. Pilosity: up to 0.35 mm long, plentiful on pronotum and mcsonotum and 8-15 on propodeum (Fig. 29a-b), on gula sparse sometimes obsolete, plentiful on gaster pointing backwards, short setae on scapes raised < 10°, short setae on midtibiae 20-40°. Pubescence: a coat of curved raised setae about 0.1 mm long, spaced < length, visible on the dorsum of mesosoma, sparse on head. Integument finely reticulate, head and gaster glossy, reflectivity from mesosoma reduced by pubescence. Node summit viewed from rear: usually concave in major workers (Fig. 15a) but sometimes flat, flat or slightly convex in other workers. Metanotum usually distinct in major workers.

HW = 1.60-3.20 mm; HL = 2.15-3.15 mm; TL = 2.30-2.90; n = 20. TL = 2.06 + 1.77 log HW (n = 19, r = 0.87, s.e.(y) = 0·16, s.e.(x) = 0.07). PD:D =1.5 increasing to 3.0 in minor workers.

Type Material
McArthur and Adams (1996) -, Drawers 39 and 113, 1 major worker and 1 medium worker each labelled 'typus', many cotypes. Major worker: HW = 3.3 mm, HL = 3.45 mm PW 2.0 mm, HT 2.5 mm, TL 2.9 mm. Medium worker: HW = 1.5 mm, HL = 2.85,  PW = 1.3 mm,  HT = 1.2 mm,  TL 2.4 mm. D’Albertis collection, 1873, from Mount Victoria, New South Wales.



Etymology
McArthur and Adams (1996) - Pallidus (Latin: pale or pallid) and cephal (Greek: head). Presumably, Emery considered this species to be a pale headed subspecies of Smith’s black-headed Camponotus nigriceps.