Camponotus mina

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Camponotus mina
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Camponotus
Species: C. mina
Binomial name
Camponotus mina
Forel, 1879

Camponotus mina casent0104758 profile 1.jpg

Camponotus mina casent0104758 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Synonyms

Mackay and Mackay (2002) - An inhabitant of mesquite dominated desert. This species was present in the Chihuahuan Desert from at least 40,000 years ago until nearly recent time (Mackay and Elias, 1992). Specimens often nest in mesquite shrubs (Prosopis glandulosa).

Identification

The major of this species can be recognized as it has abundant erect hairs on most surfaces, nearly all with blunt tips, some are nearly spatulate, these hairs cover the head, several similar hairs are found on the scapes, longer erect hairs are present on the mesosoma, as well as on the gaster. The appressed pubescence is sparse. The anterior border of the clypeus is concave, the ant is black with reddish-brown or brown mandibles, antennae, and the tibiae. The minor is similar, except the hairs are finer. The region posterior to the eye and the pronotal shoulder are swollen. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Distribution

United States. Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. Mexico. Baja California, Chihuahua, Sonora.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 47.390014° to 18.67576111°.

     
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: United States.
Neotropical Region: Mexico (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

Wheeler (1910) described a subsequently synonymized variety, zuni, from specimens he collected "on the bark of old mesquite (Prosopis velutina) trees at Tucson, Arizona."

Vanoye-Eligio et al. (2020) provide the following notes based on collections using Multilure-type traps from northeastern Mexico: A minor and major of Camponotus mina were recorded. This ant usually nests in mesquite bushes (Prosopis glandulosa Torr.; Fabaceae).

Castes

Worker

MCZ-ENT00674786 Camponotus mina hef.jpgMCZ-ENT00674786 Camponotus mina hal.jpgMCZ-ENT00674786 Camponotus mina had.jpgMCZ-ENT00674786 Camponotus mina lbs.JPG
Worker. Photographer Gary Alpert. Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Images from AntWeb

Camponotus mina casent0104950 head 1.jpgCamponotus mina casent0104950 profile 1.jpgCamponotus mina casent0104950 dorsal 1.jpgCamponotus mina casent0104950 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0104950. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by UCDC, Davis, CA, USA.
Camponotus mina castype00595 head 1.jpgCamponotus mina castype00595 profile 1.jpgCamponotus mina castype00595 dorsal 1.jpgCamponotus mina castype00595 label 1.jpg
Syntype of Camponotus erythropusWorker. Specimen code castype00595. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Camponotus mina castype00596 head 1.jpgCamponotus mina castype00596 profile 1.jpgCamponotus mina castype00596 dorsal 1.jpgCamponotus mina castype00596 label 1.jpg
Syntype of Camponotus erythropusWorker. Specimen code castype00596. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Camponotus mina castype00597 head 1.jpgCamponotus mina castype00597 profile 1.jpgCamponotus mina castype00597 dorsal 1.jpgCamponotus mina castype00597 label 1.jpg
Syntype of Camponotus erythropusWorker. Specimen code castype00597. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Queen

MCZ-ENT00674784 Camponotus mina queen hef.jpgMCZ-ENT00674784 Camponotus mina queen hal.jpgMCZ-ENT00674784 Camponotus mina queen had.jpgMCZ-ENT00674784 Camponotus mina queen lbs.JPG
Queen. . Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Images from AntWeb

Camponotus mina casent0104759 head 1.jpgCamponotus mina casent0104759 profile 1.jpgCamponotus mina casent0104759 dorsal 1.jpgCamponotus mina casent0104759 label 1.jpg
Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0104759. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by UCDC, Davis, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

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

  • mina. Camponotus mina Forel, 1879a: 83 (s.) MEXICO (Baja California).
    • Creighton, 1965b: 6 (w.q.m.).
    • Combination in C. (Myrmobrachys): Forel, 1914a: 270.
    • Subspecies of senex: Emery, 1896d: 377 (in list).
    • Status as species: Cresson, 1887: 255; Dalla Torre, 1893: 243; Emery, 1893i: 681; Forel, 1899c: 151; Forel, 1901c: 136; Wheeler, W.M. 1910d: 346; Wheeler, W.M. 1910g: 572; Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 562; Emery, 1925b: 164; Creighton, 1950a: 399; Creighton, 1965b: 5 (redescription); Kempf, 1972a: 52; Hunt & Snelling, 1975: 22; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1434; Bolton, 1995b: 111; Mackay & Mackay, 2002: 294.
    • Senior synonym of erythropus: Emery, 1895c: 336; Emery, 1896d: 377; Forel, 1899c: 151; Kempf, 1972a: 52; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1434; Bolton, 1995b: 111.
    • Senior synonym of zuni: Creighton, 1965b: 3; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1434; Bolton, 1995b: 111.
  • erythropus. Camponotus erythropus Pergande, 1893: 28 (s.w.) MEXICO (Baja California).
    • Junior synonym of mina: Emery, 1895c: 336; Emery, 1896d: 377; Forel, 1899c: 151; Kempf, 1972a: 52; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1434; Bolton, 1995b: 98.
  • zuni. Camponotus mina subsp. zuni Wheeler, W.M. 1910d: 346 (s.w.) U.S.A. (Arizona).
    • Combination in C. (Myrmobrachys): Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 562.
    • Subspecies of mina: Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 562; Emery, 1925b: 164; Cole, 1937b: 139; Creighton, 1950a: 399; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 847.
    • Junior synonym of mina: Creighton, 1965b: 5; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1434; Bolton, 1995b: 130.

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

Description

Worker

Wheeler (1910), as for synonymized mina zuniMajor Length, 6.5-7 mm.

Head rather small, subrectangular, a little longer than broad and a little broader behind than in front, with slightly excised posterior, and feebly convex lateral borders. Eyes rather large, slightly convex. Mandibles 5-toothed, with convex external borders and upper surfaces. Clypeus distinctly carinate, very slightly produced anteriorly as a broadly rounded lobe, with a faint median sinus. Frontal area distinct, triangular, as long as broad. Frontal carinae strongly lyrate, approximated anteriorly, twice as far apart behind as in front. Frontal groove distinct. Antennae short; scapes slender and terete at the base, somewhat enlarged towards their tips, which do not extend beyond the posterior corners of the head. Thorax narrower than the head, broader in front than behind, scarcely compressed laterally, in profile feebly arcuate above, the pro- and mesonotum and base of the epinotum subequal, flattened, separated by pronounced sutures; the base of the epinotum somewhat longer than the sloping, straight declivity with which it forms an obtuse angle. Petiole rather high, in profile convex in front, flattened behind, with rather blunt border; seen from behind, narrow below, expanded above, with broadly rounded upper border, feebly notched in the middle. Gaster of the usual shape. Legs rather short, with stout femora; tibae without rows of bristles on their flexor surfaces.

Mandibles lustrous or somewhat shining, very finely striated, with scattered, coarse punctures towards their inner borders. Head, thorax and antennae opaque or subopaque, finely and densely punctate. Cheeks and clypeus also with scattered, somewhat elongated, piligerous foveolae. Petiole, gaster and legs more shining, rather coarsely and transversely shagreened, with scattered piligerous punctures.

Hairs on the body rather abundant, delicate, short, erect and sordid white; absent on the sides and posterior corners of the head, short and obtuse on the clypeus and cheeks; absent on the scapes, except at their tips. Legs with very short, sparse, oblique hairs; femora with a row of long, erect hairs on their flexor surfaces. Pubescence extremely short and sparse, visible only on the antennal scapes, posterior portion of the head and basal gastric segment. Color black; mandibles, clypeus, cheeks, antennre, tibiae, tarsi and tips of femora ferruginous or dark red.

Minor Length, 4-5 mm.

Head resembles that of the worker major, but is smaller, with straighter sides, more converging anteriorly. Eyes more convex. Antennal scapes reaching about one-third their length beyond the posterior corners of the head. Like the worker major in sculpture, pilosity and color, except that the red coloration of the head is confined to its anterior border. There are no foveolae on the cheeks and clypeus. The hairs on the body are also shorter and less abundant.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Boulton A.M. and P.S. Ward. 2002. Ants. Chapter 5 in A New island Biogeography of the Sea of Cortes. T.J. Case, M.L. Cody and E. Ezcurra. Oxford university Press.
  • Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
  • Emery C. 1886. Saggio di un catalogo sistematico dei generi Camponotus, Polyrhachis e affini. Memorie della Reale Accademia delle Scienze dell'Istituto di Bologna 5: 363-382
  • Johnson R. Personnal Database. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/resources.htm
  • Johnson, R.A. and P.S. Ward. 2002. Biogeography and endemism of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Baja California, Mexico: a first overview. Journal of Biogeography 29:1009–1026/
  • Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
  • Mackay W. P. and Mackay, E. E. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 400 pp.
  • Vergara-Torres C. A., M. Vasquez-Bolanos, A. M. Corona-Lopez, V. H. Toledo-Hernandez, and A. Flores-Palacios. 2016. Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Diversity in the Canopy of a Tropical Dry Forest in Tepoztl an, Central Mexico. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 2016: 1–7.
  • Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
  • Ward P.S. and A.M. Boulton. 2002. Checklist of the ants of the Gulf of California Islands. In Island Biogeography of the sea of Cortes. T.J. Case, M.L. Cody and E. Ezcurra Editors. 690 pp.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1917. The mountain ants of western North America. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 52: 457-569.