Camponotus

• Main Author: Collingwood, C. A.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 1979
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Arthropoda; Insecta; Hymenoptera; Formicidae; Camponotus; Formica; Formica ligniperda; Fennoscandian
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6283830; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/3B044D28050A43BF44F254B236014F02

Genus Camponotus Mayr, 1861 Camponotus Mayr, 1861:35. Type-species: Formica ligniperda Latreille, 1802. This is a world wide genus with a large number of species reaching their greatest abundance in the tropics. The form of the alitrunk and head varies considerably. Although attempts have been made to differentiate species groups, it has not been possible to make clearcut distinctions in all cases to justify the use of subgeneric names. Despite the variety of form, the attachment of the antennal scape some distance from the clypeal border is a constant feature that immediately distinguishes the genus from Formica and Lasius. The antennae are 12 segmented in the female and worker, 13 in the male; segments 2 to 5 are marginally longer than those following. Maxillary palps 6 segmented, labial palps 4 segmented. Frontal carinae are sinuate broadening behind the antennal insertions. Ocelli are absent in the worker, small but distinct in the female and male. Wings with one discoidal cell, cubital cell absent. Male external genitalia small. In North Europe the 4 Fennoscandian species all mine in dead wood but only C. herculeanus occasionally mines in live trees. This and C. ligniperda are among the largest ants found in Europe with major workers up to 12 or 14 mm long and females up to 18 mm long. Keys to species of Camponotus Workers 1 Front clypeal border incised in middle (Fig. 114). 29. fallax (Nylander) Front clypeal border entire. 2 2 (1) Colour uniformly black; pubescence thick; projecting hairs profuse over whole body including gaster (Fig. 118). 30. vagus (Scopoli) Colour in part reddish; pubescence thin; hairs on gaster sparse mainly restricted to tergite borders. 3 3 (2) Gaster shining with pubescence short, sparse often absent over medial areas of first and second gaster tergite. Basal face of first tergite and sometimes whole tergite reddish; alitrunk bright yellowish red to dark red 32. ligniperda (Latreille) Gaster somewhat dull with long pubescence evenly distributed over dorsal surface; basis of first ...