Camponotus mixtellus

Camponotus mixtellus is a widespread species of the Malagasy region that occurs in the eastern lowland to montane rainforests and part of the western dry forests of Madagascar; it is known also from secondary rainforest and dry forest habitats of Grand Comore and Moheli of the Comoros islands (Fig. 67D). As this species is both arboreal and terrestrial, its members are commonly found foraging on low vegetation and on the ground, and nest in dead branches and twigs above the ground, in rotten logs and rotting tree stumps, in the ground, or under stones.

Identification
Lateral cephalic margins approximately parallel in full-face view; two apical teeth of mandible normally spaced; antennal scape covered with suberect hairs inclined at ca. 30°; in lateral view, posterior 1/2 of mesonotum to posterodorsal corner of propodeum somewhat convex, propodeal dorsum ca. 2 × as long as the height of declivity surface; petiolar node flattened anteroposteriorly.

Camponotus mixtellus can be confused with Camponotus hovahovoides, but the latter has a longer propodeal dorsum that is ca. 3 × as long as the declivity. It looks similar to C. boivini but the latter is characterized by an antennal scape covered with suberect hairs inclined at ca. 45°.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Comoros. Malagasy Region: Madagascar, Mayotte, Seychelles.

Nomenclature

 * . Camponotus radamae var. mixtellus Dalla Torre, 1893: 249.
 * [First available use of Camponotus maculatus r. radamae var. mixtellus Forel, 1891b: 433 (s.w.) MADAGASCAR; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * Forel, 1912k: 165 (q.m.).
 * Combination in C. (Tanaemyrmex): Emery, 1925b: 85.
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1896d: 370 (in list); Forel, 1913k: 165; Emery, 1920c: 5; Arnold, 1922: 628; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1041.
 * Subspecies of hova: Emery, 1925b: 85; Bolton, 1995b: 112; Dorow, 1996a: 86.
 * Status as species: Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022: 130.

Type Material

 * Lectotype minor worker, by present designation, Madagascar, Forêt des bords de l’Ivondrona, près de Tamatave (Dr Conrad Keller) AntWeb CASENT0101893 (MHNG) [Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022].
 * Paralectotype major worker, Madagascar (André) CASENT0101924 (MHNG) [Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022].