Genus Camponotus subgenus Myrmachraphe
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The Ants of Africa Genus Camponotus subgenus Myrmachraphe |
| Genus Camponotus |
Subgenus definition - Section 13 Myrmachraphe Santschi (1926c: 607), type species conradti.
Majors or soldiers are described for only two species (Santschi, 1926c) - conradti and furvus - head somewhat less narrow anteriorly; clypeus as with Myrmotrema (with rectangular anterior lobe and with or without a carina) but without fossae; scape short and not only just passing the occiput; alitrunk in profile a more or less regular curve but not interrupted at the level of the metanotal suture. The form I called Camponotus (Myrmacrhaphe) species T² appears to be distinct from these.
Minors, known for all the species - generally black, most reticulated with variable pilosity; HL > HW; more or less narrowed anteriorly, with sides straight and medium eyes set in the posterior third; clypeus convex and slightly carinate, as wide as the anterior of the head in front and narrowing closely behind; scape surpassing the occiput; maxillary palps very long, the last segment as long as the apical segment of the antenna; pronotum strongly flattened and more or less bordered; propodeum very narrow; promesonotal suture very distinct but metanotal suture effaced on the sides; a group of 10 singular species, with a compressed and humped thorax, according to Bernard (1952). Bolton (1995) lists eight - all found in West Africa/Congo Basin.
Key to major workers
| 1 | Minor with narrow head and near parallel sides, occiput straight with angular corners | 2 |
| -- | Minor head distinctly narrower anteriorly, occiput at least weakly convex and corners rounded | 3 |
| 2 |  Worker
TL 6.5 mm; head as conradti but a little less narrow; whole
insect, except appendages with dense blanket of long grey pubescence;
but few erect hairs other than on declivity of propodeum and petiole
scale; generally submatt, reticulo-punctate less finely on gaster, sides
of gaster quite shiny; black with antennal condyles, apex of funiculus
and of tarsi ferruginous-brown |
Zaïre - burgeoni |
| -- |  Worker
TL 6.5-7.0 mm; HL 1.25 X HW, head trapezoidal, sides straight and
convergent; quite abundant erect white pilosity (yellow on clypeus);
pubescence yellowish white and fine; generally submatt,
reticulo-punctate less finely on gaster, sides of gaster quite shiny,
appendages shiny; black, antennal condyles, apex of funiculus and narrow
posterior border of gaster segments yellow (fimbriatipes descr) |
West Africa - conradti |
| 3 | Minor head with eyes large and breaking outline of head | 4 |
| -- | Minor head with smaller eyes not breaking outline of head | 6 |
| 4 |  Minor
TL 4.2 mm; head anteriorly about 3/4 width of occiput; petiole profile
with sharp apex; black, apex of mandibles reddish; head and alitrunk
matt, head very finely sculpted, thorax finely reticulate; gaster dorsum
smooth and shiny; sparse erect hairs on body, short on the internal
borders of the femora; pubescence very short and very sparse. |
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Congo Basin - oculatior |
| -- | Minor head anteriorly almost as wide as occiput; petiole node rounded in profile | 5 |
| 5 |  TL
worker 4.39 mm; major TL 6.97 mm; sculpturation of fine striations most
marked on alitrunk; pubescence very sparse; black, extremities red-brown |
Nigeria - Camponotus (Myrmacrhaphe) species T² |
| -- |  TL
worker 5.0 mm; long oblique white translucent hairs on head and thorax,
more numerous on declivity of propodeum, petiole scale and gaster; few
on the legs; pubescence whitish, short closely spaced on body and
appendages; very finely shagreened, dull; posterior angles of head and
pronotum, petiole scale and gaster with reduced sculpturation and
shinier; black; mandibles, antennae, inferior femora and articulation of
tibiae, yellow; rest of legs medium brown; borders of gaster segments
yellow |
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Zaïre & southern Sudan forest - ( j.syn. tameri) - rotundinodis |
| 6 | Minor head relatively short and with rounded sides | 7 |
| -- | Minor head longer and with straight sides angled in to anterior margin | 8 |
| 7 |  Worker
TL 5.5-6.0 mm; head narrowed anteriorly but less than gabonensis;
clypeus with more pronounced carina; alitrunk profile as burgeoni;
almost no erect hairs; greyish pubescence generally sparse except on
clypeus, occipitum; lower sides of alitrunk matt or submatt but with
generally more shiny areas than others; apex of mandibles, antennal
condyles and tarsi ferruginous |
Congo Basin - florius |
| -- |  TL
6.5 mm; entirely black with no lighter parts |
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Congo & Ghana (?) - furvus |
| 8 |  Worker
TL 7 mm; petiole scale narrower; more matt than conradti; black,
terminal border of mandibles, antennal condyles, distal joints of femora
and trochanters ferruginous; |
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Gabon - gabonensis |
| -- |  Worker
TL 6.4 mm; antennal condyles, much of body shiny, dorsum of head and
alitrunk reticulo-punctate and matt; black, apex of funiculus and labrum
rust |
Zaïre - longipalpis |
Described by Bernard (1952) as typical of the subgenus (thorax, humped and compressed) but clearly different from four forms (of 10 known) which he sighted in the Swiss collection. As the original descriptions were poor, he felt unable to describe this form as a new species. Lamotte had collected 4 adult workers, with olive-green reflections, and two immatures, from a tall termite hill at Yanlé (450 m) in Guinea.
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Genus page | © 2007, 2008 - Brian Taylor CBiol
FIBiol FRES 11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K. |
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