Camponotus leptocephalus

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Camponotus leptocephalus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Camponotus
Species: C. leptocephalus
Binomial name
Camponotus leptocephalus
Emery, 1923

Camponotus leptocephalus casent0905503 p 1 high.jpg

Camponotus leptocephalus casent0905503 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

De Oliveira et al. (2015) found Camponotus leptocephalus nesting in Cecropia pachystachya in southwestern Bahia, Brazil.

Identification

A member of the subgenus Myrmostenus.

Mackay (1997) - This species has the least elongate head among the species in this subgenus (CI 61). It can be easily distinguished as it is much more hairy, with the hairs being primarily short bristles. The sculpture is relatively more rough than in the other species in the complex.

This species forms one of the extremes in the range of head shape, sculpture and hairiness, and thus belongs to a separate species complex. The head is not as elongate as most of the other species (CI 61) or flattened as the other species. It appears to be distantly related to Camponotus sphenocephalus, and can be easily separated as the clypeus is covered with erect hairs (none in C. sphenocephalus). This species is definitely not a member of the subgenus Pseudocolobopsis, as the maxillary palps are long, which is not found in species in Pseudocolobopsis.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Brazil (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Camponotus leptocephalus casent0905503 p 2 high.jpg
Lectotype of Camponotus leptocephalusQueen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0905503. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • leptocephalus. Camponotus (Pseudocolobopsis) leptocephalus Emery, 1923: 62, fig. 3 (q.) BRAZIL (Espirito Santo).
    • Combination in C. (Myrmostenus): Mackay, 1997: 197.
    • Status as species: Emery, 1925b: 158; Borgmeier, 1927c: 154; Kempf, 1972a: 63; Bolton, 1995b: 108; Mackay, 1997: 197 (redescription).

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Queen

Mackay (1997) - HL 2.36, HW 1.44, SL 2.38, EL 0.56, clypeal length 0.74, width 0.70. Indices: SI 101, CI 61, clypeal index 95.

Mandible with 6 teeth; clypeus slightly longer than broad, with poorly defined median carina, anterior clypeal border slightly concave; scape long, extending nearly half its length past posterior border of head; head slightly flattened when seen in profile; vertex concave when seen from the front and above, convex as seen in full face view; maxillary palps extending about 3/4 distance to foramen magnum; labial palps about 1/3 length of maxillary palps; mesosoma lengthened as in other species; propodeum with posterior face about 1/2 of basal face; petiole with convex anterior face, nearly flat posterior face.

Hairs (erect and suberect) abundant on head and gaster, few scattered erect hairs on mesosoma and propodeum; decumbent pubescence scattered, but sparse on all body surfaces, length up to 0.06 mm in length.

Lightly but densely and evenly punctate on head, coriaceous on all surfaces of mesosoma and gaster.

Color concolorous medium brown, gaster slightly darker.

Type Material

Mackay (1997) - Lectotype queen [here designated], Espir. Santo, X.1920-II.l921; Arp dedic; Camp. leptocephalus n. (Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genoa) [seen]; second female not seen.

References