Camponotus sannini

Identification
Ionescu-Hirsch (2009) - C. sannini paratypes are hardly distinguishable from Camponotus aethiops in having a straight propodeal dorsum, as opposed to a variable propodeal dorsum, scape and tibiae with decumbent pubescence, as opposed to apressed, and dark brown mesosoma with very superficial lateral striation, as opposed to a generally darker and matte mesosoma in major workers of C. aethiops. However, specimens from Beirut have a distinctly concave propodeum and scape with apressed pubescence. Furthermore, in the original description of C. sannini completely black nest series are also mentioned.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syrian Arab Republic.

Nomenclature

 * . Camponotus sannini Tohmé, G. & Tohmé, H. 1999: 477, fig. 2 (w.q.m.) LEBANON.
 * Status as species: Vonshak, et al. 2009: 39; Ionescu-Hirsch, 2010: 88; Borowiec, L. & Salata, 2012: 482; Borowiec, L. 2014: 41; Tohmé, G. & Tohmé, 2014: 138; Lebas, et al. 2016: 146; Salata & Borowiec, 2018c: 44.

Ionescu-Hirsch (2009) - The original description of C. sannini (Tohmé and Tohmé, 1999) refers to Bernard’s (1968) redescription of C. aethiops, in which he mentioned the matte head and black color of C. aethiops specimens from France (Bernard, 1968). However, C. aethiops in its current concept is a variable species, so that the diagnostic characters of C. sannini are weak. A further study of these species from their entire distribution area will clarify the affinities between the Israeli and other specimens.

Description
Ionescu-Hirsch (2009) - TL = 6.9–9.4, HL = 1.95–2.42, HW = 1.80–2.34, EL = 0.47–0.48, SL = 1.70–1.88, ML = 2.54–3.05, PW = 1.29–1.52, mTbL = 1.47–1.60, hTbL = 1.91–2.19 (n = 10).

Determination Clarifications
The species from Lebanon that was formerly identified as Camponotus concavus Forel (junior synonym of C. aethiops in Bolton et al., 2006) by Tohmé (1969a) was reidentified as Camponotus sannini by Tohmé and Tohmé (1999).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2012. Ants of Greece - Checklist, comments and new faunistic data (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus 23(4): 461-563.
 * Ionescu-Hirsch A. 2009. An annotated list of Camponotus of Israel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a key and descriptions of new species. ISRAEL JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY 39: 5798.
 * Tohmé, G., and H. Tohmé. "Redescription of Camponotus festai Emery, 1894 et description de C. Sannini n. Sp. Deux fourmis du Liban et la Syrie." Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France 104 (5) (1999): 473-480.
 * Vonshak M., and A. Ionescu-Hirsch. 2009. A checklist of the ants of Israel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Israel Journal of Entomology 39: 33-55.