Camponotus immaculatus

Occupying the high plateau of Madagascar, C. immaculatus occurs in shrubland and grassland areas, montane rainforest, savannah grassland, and Uapaca woodland habitats (Fig. 60D). It is also known from rainforest and forest transitioning to montane forest in the southeast, and from human-modiﬁed habitats in the west, south, and high plateau of the island. Nest sites are typically established in the ground, under stones, and under rotten logs, while foraging is carried out in the leaf litter, on the ground, and on lower vegetation. (Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022)

Identification
In full-face view, lateral margins of head anterior to eye level diverging posteriorly; anterior clypeal margin truncate; white spots absent on second and third abdominal tergite.

Camponotus immaculatus can be easily separated from Camponotus kelimaso and Camponotus lubbocki by the presence of the broad concavity on the propodeal dorsum. It also can be distinguished from other species because the anteromedian margin of its clypeus is truncate and no white spots are visible on the abdominal tergites. (Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 * . Camponotus quadrimaculatus var. immaculatus Forel, 1892l: 233 (w.q.) MADAGASCAR.
 * Combination in C. (Mayria): Emery, 1925b: 123.
 * Subspecies of quadrimaculatus: Dalla Torre, 1893: 249; Emery, 1896d: 374 (in list); Forel, 1907g: 91; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1047; Emery, 1925b: 123; Bolton, 1995b: 104.
 * Status as species: Olson & Ward, 1996: 164.
 * opaca. Camponotus quadrimaculatus var. opaca Emery, 1899f: 290 (w.) MADAGASCAR.
 * [Junior secondary homonym of Formica opaca Nylander, 1856b: 55.]
 * Subspecies of quadrimaculatus: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1047.
 * Replacement name: Camponotus (Mayria) quadrimaculatus var. opacata Emery, 1925b: 123.
 * Junior synonym of immaculatus: Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022: 111.
 * opacatus. Camponotus (Mayria) quadrimaculatus var. opacata Emery, 1925b: 123.
 * Replacement name for Camponotus quadrimaculatus var. opaca Emery, 1899f: 290. [Junior secondary homonym of Formica opaca Nylander, 1856b: 55.]
 * Subspecies of quadrimaculatus: Bolton, 1995b: 115.
 * Junior synonym of immaculatus: Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022: 111.

Type Material
Camponotus quadrimaculatus immaculatus
 * Syntype workers, Madagascar Andrangoloaka (Sikora); 1 syntype minor worker designated as lectotype, by Rakotonirina & Fisher (2022), AntWeb CASENT0102430 (MHNG).
 * Paralectotypes: 2 major workers of same data as lectotype but with specimen codes: CASENT0102429, CASENT0102431 (MHNG) (Andrangoloaka). (Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022)

Camponotus quadrimaculatus opacata
 * Syntype workers and alate queen, Madagascar, Baie d’Antongil (Mocquerys); 1 syntype minor worker designated as lectotype, by Rakotonirina & Fisher (2022), AntWeb CASENT0102107) (MSNG).
 * Paralectotypes: 2 major worker and one alate queen of same data as lectotype but respectively with the following specimen codes: CASENT0102106 (MSNG), CASENT0102433 (MHNG) and CASENT0102108 (MSNG). (Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022)

Taxonomic Notes
When describing C. quadrimaculatus opacata, Emery (1925) did not make any comparative study with C. immaculatus. He stated no morphological characters that separate the former species from the later, and our examination of the syntype specimens of both taxa indicates that morphological variation observed in the former is found across the large geographical distribution of the latter. Hence, there is no doubt to make C. quadrimaculatus opacata under synonymy with C. immaculatus. (Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2022)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fisher B. L. 1997. Biogeography and ecology of the ant fauna of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Natural History 31: 269-302.
 * Fisher B. L. 2003. Formicidae, ants. Pp. 811-819 in: Goodman, S. M.; Benstead, J. P. (eds.) 2003. The natural history of Madagascar. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, xxi + 1709 pp.
 * Forel A. 1907. Ameisen von Madagaskar, den Comoren und Ostafrika. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse. Reise in Ostafrika 2: 75-92.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. IX. A synonymic list of the ants of the Malagasy region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 1005-1055