Camponotus sada

One of the Mayria group that occur only in the north of Madagascar, C. sada inhabits the montane rainforests of Parc National Ambre, the rainforests of Andavakoera, and the dry forests of Bekaraoka, Montagne des Français, Réserves Spéciales d’Analamerana and de l’Ankarana. Across these habitats, nests are built in the ground, under stones, or in root mats in the ground. Foraging behavior has been observed in leaf litter, on the forest floor, or on the lower parts of the vegetation.

Identification
A member of the subgenus Mayria (see diagnosis). Rakotonirina and Fisher (2018) - Median portion of clypeus without longitudinal carina; anteromedian margin of clypeus covered with lamella; mandible with six teeth; in full-face view, head distinctly longer than broad; antennal scape covered with appressed short hairs; in lateral view, junction of dorsal and declivity surfaces of propodeum broadly rounded; petiolar node longer than high.

Camponotus sada and Camponotus raina look similar but the latter has a short and high mesosoma and a generally reddish-orange head and mesosoma. Camponotus sada can be separated from Camponotus christi, Camponotus foersteri, and Camponotus maculiventris by the presence of a median longitudinal carina on the clypeus. Camponotus tanosy differs from C. sada by the absence of a lamella on the anteromediam clypeal margin.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  sada. Camponotus sada Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2018: 52, figs. 8A, 33, 41 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Minor. In full-face view, head elongate, rectangular, with broadly convex posterior margin. Anteromedian clypeal margin broadly convex and with broadly rounded lamella. Eyes breaking lateral outlines of head, their posterior margins located well behind the mid-length of the head (PoOc/CL: 0.33±0.01; 0.31–0.35). Mandible triangular, apical margin with six sharp teeth. Antennal scape long, roughly its distal half extending beyond posterior cephalic border. In lateral view, promesonotum convex, propodeum straight, sometimes slightly concave, its dorsum joining the straight and anteriorly inclined declivity in a broad angle; propodeal dorsum approximately three times longer than height of declivity. Petiolar node longer than high and inclined anteriorly.

More than one pair of elongate, stout, erect hairs near posterior border of head; pronotum, junction of dorsum and declivity of propodeum and posterodorsal margin of petiole each with one pair of elongate, stout erect hairs; few short appressed hairs present on dorsum of mesosoma. Antennal scape with abundant appressed short hairs. Body color generally black, with whitish distal portion of coxae, trochanter, femur and posterior portion of first gastral sternite; leg black on proximal portion and becoming progressively lighter in color toward its apex; first and second gastral tergite with pair of white spots; antennal scape and funiculus basally light brown and apically dark brown.

Major. Differing from minor worker in the following characters: larger head, absence of lamella on anterior clypeal margin, antennal scape barely surpassing posterior cephalic margin, much more robust mesosoma, with pronotum and mesonotum forming an even convexity, separated from propodeal dorsum by a shallow angle; higher than long petiolar node; much higher propodeal declivity; presence of at least three pairs of erect hairs on mesonotum. Other features as in minor worker.

Type Material
Holotype worker. Madagascar: Province Antsiranana, Forêt d’Andavakoera, 21.4 km 75° ENE Ambilobe; 4.6 km 356° N Betsiaka, -13.11833, 49.23, 425 m, rainforest, under stone, 16 Dec 2003 (B.L. Fisher et al.) collection code: BLF10346, specimen code: CASENT0498916.

Paratypes. 8 minor and 5 major workers with same data as holotype but with specimen codes: minors: CASENT0498917, CASENT0498918, CASENT0804651, CASENT0804652, CASENT0804654, CASENT0804655, CASENT0804657, CASENT0804658; majors: CASENT0498919, CASENT0498920, CASENT0498921, CASENT0804653, CASENT0804656 (CASC,, , , ).