Camponotus albistramineus

With the exception of some meager specimen information - collected in mountains from 3000-4000 ft - nothing is known about the natural history of Camponotus albistramineus.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Greater Antilles, Haiti.

Nomenclature

 *  albistramineus. Camponotus (Myrmeurynota) albistramineus Wheeler, W.M. 1936b: 208 (w.) HAITI.

Description
Described from a single specimen, Wheeler (1937), as part of his taxonomic treatment of the similar Camponotus thysanopus from Cuba, later amended his characterization of this worker as a minor: "These specimens indicate that the type of albistramineus is a media worker and not a minor."

Worker
Worker minor. Length 4.3 mm.

Head nearly as broad as long, subtrapezoidal, narrowed anteriorly,with rounded sides and posterior corners and feebly convex posterior border. Eyes rather large and flat, placed well behind the median diameter of the head. Mandibles rather large, convex, 5-toothed, the apical tooth much longer than the broad, subequal basal teeth. Clypeus trapezoidal, broader than long, ecarinate and not very convex in the middle, the anterior border broadly rounded, very slightly produced medially and feebly sinuate on each side. Frontal area and frontal groove obsolete; frontal carinae sigmoidal, distinctly elevated and widely diverging posteriorly. Antennae long and slender; scapes only feebly curved at the base, extending about two-fifths their length beyond the posterior border of the head. Thorax rather short and high, its dorsal outline strongly arcuate, interrupted only by the impressed promesonotal suture and a very obtuse angle separating the base of the sloping declivity from its distinctly longer and more abrupt declivity. Mesoepinotal suture obsolete. From above the thorax is about twice as long as broad, gradually narrowed posteriorly; pronotum about one and two-thirds as broad as long, somewhat narrower behind than in front, with feebly rounded, sharply marginate sides which are expanded into bluntly angular and slightly upturned lamellae at the humeri; mesonotum subelliptical, nearly twice as broad as long; base of epinotum roof-shaped, its two halves meeting at a blunt but perceptible ridge in the median line. Petiolar scale from behind broad and suborbicular above, strongly narrowed ventrally, in profile high and moderately thick, with blunt superior border, feebly convex anterior and flat posterior surface. Gaster broadly elliptical, the first segment truncated anteriorly. Legs rather long, fore femora enlarged. Opaque; venter, petiole and legs smoother and more shining. Mandibles finely shagreened and coarsely and sparsely punctate. Head and thorax finely, densely, sharply and very regularly punctulate; sides of thorax with the punctules arranged in parallel lines. Petiolar sculpture feebler, the posterior surface of the scale transversely striolate. Dorsal surface of gaster finely, sharply and transversely reticulate, with coarse, transverse, piligerous punctures. Venter and anterior truncated surface of first segment superficially shagreened or reticulate. Antennal scapes more opaque and more sharply and densely reticulate or granular.

Pilosity similar to that of altivagans but the hairs are snow white, the appressed ones on the head, thorax and gaster even more distinctly flattened and scale-like and with a more general distribution. Not only are there hairs of this type on the sides of the head but also on the inferior border of the pronotum and in conspicuous tufts on the meso- and metasterna, middle and hind coxae. Posterior faces of fore femora with similar but sparser and less flattened hairs. Knees and tips of tibiae with a few conspicuous yellow bristles. Middle and hind femora and all the tibiae with very sparse, simple hairs, or coarse, dilute pubescence; coxae with finer, denser, appressed pubescence.

Coal black; gastric segments with dull whitish posterior borders; tips of tarsi dark brown; mandibles red, with black teeth; antennae paler, yellowish red, or testaceous.

Type Locality Information
Described from a single specimen taken by Dr. Darlington on Mt. Trou d'Eau, 4000 ft., Haiti.