Camponotus morosus

Camponotus morosus can be found living in mixed nests with the ant Solenopsis gayi. Believed to be a parabiotic association, the relationship between these two ants was studied and it was found S. gayi workers were tolerant of all C. morosus workers. C. morosus workers were aggressive to most other ants except their own nestmates and the S. gayi workers they lived with. (Errard et al. 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina, Chile.

Biology
This species is monogynous (Errard et al. 2003).

Diet
The diet was studied by Grez et al. in 1986, in a sclerophyllous scrub environment through the interception of forage workers. It was determined that 40.91% of the items taken to the nest correspond to insects (of these 90.8 dead and 9.2 live insects) behaving mainly as a scavenger. The second item in importance corresponds to bird and reptile feces (35.71%), followed by items of plant origin (22.8%). Adult ants only require sugars for their general metabolism, not their larvae and queen, which are in active growth and reproduction, respectively. In this way, the large number of insects and faeces can be explained, which are very rich in nitrogen, a constituent and essential element for proteins. Additionally, C. morosus has been observed foraging on cow carcasses (Bos taurus), transporting in this case remains of cadaveric insect pupae, and pieces of skin and hair (Cerpa 2017 Pers. Obs.).

Nomenclature

 *  morosus. Formica morosa Smith, F. 1858b: 50 (w.) CHILE. Mayr, 1865: 32 (s.). Combination in Camponotus: Mayr, 1862: 665; in C. (Tanaemyrmex): Emery, 1925b: 78. Subspecies of rubripes: Forel, 1886f: 144. Junior synonym of distinguendus: Dalla Torre, 1893: 228. Revived from synonymy as subspecies of distinguendus: Emery, 1895i: 18; Emery, 1906c: 191; Santschi, 1916e: 396. Revived status as species: Menozzi, 1935c: 329; Kempf, 1972a: 69; Snelling & Hunt, 1976: 120.