Camponotus

Hita Garcia, Wiesel and Fischer (2013) - Camponotus is an extremely large and complex, globally distributed genus. At present, more than 1000 species and nearly 500 subspecies belonging to 45 subgenera are described (Bolton, 2012) and it could well be the largest ant genus of all. The enormous species richness, high levels of intraspecific and geographic variation and polymorphism render the taxonomy of Camponotus one of the most complex and difficult. Revisionary studies on Camponotus are generally confined to species groups and/or small geographical regions (e.g. Robertson & Zachariades, 1997; Snelling, 2006; McArthur, 2007; Shattuck & Janda, 2009). These ants live in a variety of habitats and microhabitats and the sheer size of the genus makes any characterisation of their biology challenging. Nests are built in the ground, in rotten branches or twigs, or rarely into living wood (Bolton, 1973a) and most species possess a highly generalistic diet.

Recently, Blaimer et al. (2015) found that Camponotus is paraphyletic with respect to Phasmomyrmex and Forelophilus, and that Colobopsis is sister to the remainder of the Camponotini while Dinomyrmex is nested outside of Camponotus. For this reason, Ward et al. (2016) revised the generic delimitation of the Camponotini; see the genus links included in this blurb for more detail.

Identification
Camponotus is a hyperdiverse genus that is rife with taxonomic problems and puzzles. Various subgenera, complexes and informal groupings have either been defined in taxonomic publications or have been informally recognized. All of this sorting of species at the level between the genus and species level is an attempt to introduce some order to the genus and/or allow for a more workable framework for understanding Camponotus diversity within a particular region. The Camponotus species groups page provides links to some of the Antwiki pages that include Camponotus species groupings and information.

Note that female "Camponotus" are usually distinguishable from "Colobopsis" by their antennal sockets, which are placed in the anterior half of the frontal carinae (see the Colobopsis taxon account for more detail.

Emery's keys to the subgenera from Genera Insectorum
Emery's (1925) key to subgenera from Genera Insectorum

Species Groups
Table of Camponotus species by subgenus

Species richness
Species richness by country based on regional taxon lists (countries with darker colours are more species-rich). View Data



Nomenclature

 *  CAMPONOTUS [Formicinae: Camponotini]
 * Camponotus Mayr, 1861: 35. Type-species: Formica ligniperda, by subsequent designation of Bingham, 1903: 347.
 * [Type-species not Formica herculeana, unjustified subsequent designation by Forel, 1914a: 259, repeated in Arnold, 1922: 612.]
 * Camponotus (subgenus not given) senior synonym of †Shanwangella: Hong & Wu, 2000: 20.
 * Camponotus senior synonym of †Paleosminthurus: Snelling, R.R. (pers. comm., unpublished).
 * Subgenera of Camponotus (alphabetical order with synonyms indicated): nominal plus Colobopsis (= Campylomyrma, = Condylomyrma, = Dolophra), Dendromyrmex, Dinomyrmex (= Myrmogigas), Hypercolobopsis (= Neocolobopsis), Karavaievia, Manniella, Mayria (= Myrmosaga), Myrmacrhaphe, Myrmamblys, Myrmaphaenus (= Neomyrmamblys, = Paracolobopsis), Myrmentoma, Myrmepinotus, Myrmepomis (= Myrmolophus), Myrmespera, Myrmeurynota, Myrmisolepis, Myrmobrachys, Myrmocladoecus, Myrmodirachis, Myrmogonia, Myrmomalis, Myrmonesites (= Myrmensites), Myrmopalpella, Myrmopelta, Myrmophyma (= Myrmocamelus), Myrmopiromis, Myrmoplatypus, Myrmoplatys, Myrmopsamma, Myrmopytia, Myrmosaulus, Myrmosericus, Myrmosphincta, Myrmostenus, Myrmotarsus, Myrmotemnus, Myrmothrix, Myrmotrema, Myrmoxygenys, Orthonotomyrmex (= Orthonotus (junior homonym), Paramyrmamblys, Pseudocolobopsis, Rhinomyrmex, Tanaemyrmex (= Myrmoturba), Thlipsepinotus.
 * [All subgenera were given as provisional junior synonyms of Camponotus by Brown, 1973b: 179-185. The list was repeated in Hölldobler & Wilson, 1990: 18 with all subgenera listed as junior synonyms. They reverted to subgeneric status in Bolton, 1994: 50; see under individual entries. The entry of Myrmophyma and Thlipsepinotus under the synonymy of Camponotus by Taylor & Brown, D.R. 1985: 109, is not accepted as confirmation as not all taxa were included.]
 * †PALEOSMINTHURUS [junior synonym of Camponotus]
 * †Paleosminthurus Pierce & Gibron, 1962: 146. Type-species: †Paleosminthurus juliae (junior synonym of Formica festinata) [Snelling, R.R. pers. com., unpublished], by monotypy [in order Collembola].
 * †Paleosminthurus incertae sedis in Formicidae: Najt, 1987: 152; Bolton, 2003: 76.
 * †Paleosminthurus junior synonym of Camponotus: Snelling, R.R. (pers. comm., unpublished).
 * †SHANWANGELLA [junior synonym of Camponotus]
 * †Shanwangella Zhang, J. 1989: 307. Type-species: †Shanwangella palaeoptera, by original designation.
 * †Shanwangella junior synonym of Camponotus: Hong & Wu, 2000: 20.

Common Names for Camponotus Subgenera
A mnemonic list of common names for the subgenera of Camponotus may be found here.

Subgenus Camponotus
True Carpenter Ants

Diagnosis of subgenus: Emery (1925) - "Worker and queen. - Large species; caste polymorphism and other characteristics as in the subgenus Tanaemyrmex, except for the following differences: Head of minors Alpha-form (see Tanaemyrmex for head shape classification), but head generally shorter and posterior head margin straighter; head of major worker much less enlarged and less emarginate posteriorly; head of queens similar to those of majors. Clypeus lacking medial carina nor usually with anterior lobe, although weakly-produced and more-or-less rectangular (C. japonicus, Mayr) or rounded (C. sansabeanus, Buckley) lobe may be present [note: C. sansabeanus is currently classified as Tanaemyrmex]; anterior margin of clypeus entire, lacking medial notch. Mandibles strongly arched, usually with 4 or 5 teeth, sometimes with 6. Mesosomal dorsum arched, always continuous in profile; pronotal dorsum rounded or sometimes depressed in majors, with slightly prominent humeri. Male. - Caracteres of Tanaemyrmex.

Note that the subgenera Camponotus, Tanaemyrmex, Myrmosericus, and Myrmothrix constitute a group: they are separated by characters of little importance and often offer transitions from one group to another.

Geographical distribution of species. - Holarctic region, except Mediterranean Africa; C. punctatissimus, Emery, is found in the north of Indomalaya."

(Translated and edited by B. E. Boudinot, 15 February 2017.)