Camponotus picipes plombyi

Described from a number of specimens taken in the mountains at Furcy (Haiti), living in crater nests in the ground (Wheeler and Mann 1914).

Identification
From Wheeler and Mann (1914): "closely resembles the subsp.  dominicensis Wheeler from the island of Dominica in sculpture, pilosity and form, but the color is very different, the head of the major worker is decidedly shorter and the anterior border of the clypeus projects somewhat in the middle, where it is very feebly and sinuately notched.

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

Nomenclature

 * . Camponotus maculatus subsp. plombyi Wheeler, W.M. & Mann, 1914: 47, fig. 19 (s.w.) HAITI.
 * Combination in C. (Tanaemyrmex): Emery, 1925b: 82.
 * Subspecies of picipes: Emery, 1920b: 233 (footnote); Emery, 1925b: 82; Wheeler, W.M. 1936b: 205; Kempf, 1972a: 70; Bolton, 1995b: 118; Mackay & Delsinne, 2009: 497 (in key); Lubertazzi, 2019: 88.

Worker
Major

Length 10-1 1.5 mm.

Head moderately large, longer than broad, somewhat broader behind than in front (3.5 mm. long, 3 mm. broad), with slightly excavated posterior border, rather angular posterior corners and feebly and uniformly convex sides. Mandibles long, 7-toothed. Lobe of clypeus short, slightly projecting on the middle, angular on the sides. Antennal scapes extending fully one third their length beyond the posterior corners of the head. Thorax long, slender and low; pronotum more than half as broad as the head; base of the epinotum about twice as long as the declivity, the angle between the two rounded and indistinct. Petiole small, its anterior surface convex, its posterior surface flattened, its border rather sharp. Hind femora not compressed, without a row of graduated bristles on the flexor surfaces of the tibial.

Shining and finely shagreened; mandibles, clypeus and head coarsely and rather sparsely punctate, the punctures becoming smaller and more scattered on the posterior portion of the head. Scapes opaque. Thorax and gaster with scattered piligerous punctures.

scapes and legs with more numerous punctures. Hairs fulvous, rather coarse, erect, not only on the body, but also on the scapes, short on the latter, the mandibles, cheeks, clypeus and upper surface of the head, long and more abundant on the thorax, petiolar border and gaster, very short and sub oblique on the legs.

Black; mandibles, except their teeth, anterior half of clypeus, funiculi, tibial, knees and tarsi, dark red; gastric segments narrowly margined behind with sordid yellow.

Minor

Length 8-9 mm.

Head somewhat less than twice as long as broad, a little broader in front than behind, with straight sides, rounded posteriorly, the occipital border being short and feebly concave. Mandibles and clypcus similar to those of the worker major. Antennae slender; scapes extending one half their length beyond the posterior border of the head. Thorax and gaster slender; base of epinotum very feebly concave in profile. Petiolar node thicker and blunter than in the worker major. Sculpture, pilosity and color much as in that phase, but the punctuation of the head much feebler. Legs somewhat paler in some specimens, the femora and COXal being dark brown or reddish.

Type Locality Information
Mountains of Furcy, Haiti.

Etymology
Dedicated to the genial Abbe Plomby.