Camponotus janforrestae

This rare species has been collected only a few times. The limited biological information indicates that it was common on box and gum trees on black soil and was foraging all afternoon at St George.

Identification
A member of the Camponotus macrocephalus species-group. This group has the following characters:


 * Fore femurs swollen, much greater in diameter than middle and hind femurs, generally more swollen than in most other Camponotus species.
 * Spines or bristles on the lower surfaces of the tibiae lacking, or at most, only one or two (most Camponotus species possess two rows of 5 to 10 spines).
 * Major workers and queens with the anterior of the head is truncated and flattened (phragmotic).
 * Major and minor workers present, but not intermediate-sized workers (worker caste dimorphic).

Within this group, this species can be diangosed as follows:

Whole ant (with the exception of the funiculus) clothed in erect setae. On mesosoma setae vary from short to long. Dorsal surface of propodeum strongly convex and dome-like. This species is highly distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other members of this species group.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  janforrestae. Camponotus janforrestae McArthur & Shattuck, 2001: 36, figs. 16, 17 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

Minor worker
All black except for dark brown teeth and limbs. In lateral view. Head: Side with few erect setae, without flat-lying pubescence, glossy, smooth; vertex with plentiful long setae; underside of head with plentiful long and short setae. Pronotum: Evenly convex with plentiful erect setae of various lengths. Mesonotum: Flatly convex with plentiful setae. Metanotum: Deep trench, with spiracles projecting up, apertures below level of dorsum. Propodeum: Plentiful long setae, glossy, dorsum domed, nearly circular; angle rounded; declivity mostly straight, spiracle projecting outward, surrounded by slightly punctate integument with flat-lying and erect setae. Node: Thick with plentiful long erect setae; anterior face short upright; summit blunt; posterior face lower half straight; upper convex. Gaster: Glossy, hairy. Fore femur: Dark red brown, swollen. Mid tibia: With plentiful long and a few short, erect setae, without bristles on inside. In dorsal view. Head: Sides straight, strongly tapering to front, posterior angles and vertex forming even convexity, scape with plentiful long and short, erect setae. Frontal carinae wide, diverging to rear, not converging; posterior width twice anterior; frontal area elongated diamond, small; max HW posterior to eye centre. Clypeus: Wide, glossy, smooth, without flat-lying pubescence, with few erect, long setae; canna indistinct; anterior margin lateral quarters projecting forward, median half indented between two teeth. In front or rear view. Node: Summit flat, between convex lateral thirds, with plentiful long setae of varying length.

Measurements
HW 1.6 mm, HL 1.8 mm, PW 1.2 mm, HT 1.25 mm, EL 0.35 mm, TL 1.7 mm.

Etymology
Named after J. A. Forrest OAM, SAM, Adelaide.