Camponotus quadrimaculatus

description

Description. Minor worker. In full-face view, head sides diverging towards broadly convex posterior margin; eye convex and large (EL / CS: 0.26 + / - 0.02; 0.21 - 0.30), not breaking lateral cephalic margin, level of its posterior margin located approximately at posterior 1 / 4 of head (PoOc / CL: 0.25 + / - 0.01; 0.22 - 0.28); frontal carinae widely diverging posteriorly (FR / CS: 0.34 + / - 0.01; 0.31 - 0.37), distance between them larger than their smallest distance to eye; clypeus with anterolateral angle and straight anteromedian margin; mandible with two apical teeth distantly spaced; antennal scape relatively long (SL / CS: 1.23 + / - 0.07; 1.01 - 1.36). Promesonotum slightly convex; posterior portion of mesonotum flat immediately anterior to feebly visible metanotal groove; propodeal dorsum immediately posterior to metanotal groove convex, medially strongly concave, then posteriorly flat, joining declivity at a remarkably visible angle; declivity height 3 / 4 length of dorsum. Petiolar node short and high, with dorsal margin inclined posteriorly and rounding to anterior margin; anterior face shorter than posterior face; femur of hind leg rounded axially, not twisted basally

Revision of the Malagasy Camponotus subgenus Myrmosaga (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using qualitative and quantitative morphology

diagnosis

Diagnosis. In full-face view, lateral margins of head anterior to eye level diverging posteriorly; anterior clypeal margin truncate; two pairs of white spots present on second and third abdominal tergites; pronotum, mesonotum, and propodeum not forming separate convexities, metanotal groove not depressed; propodeum immediately in junction with promesonotum; propodeal dorsum concave.

Revision of the Malagasy Camponotus subgenus Myrmosaga (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using qualitative and quantitative morphology

discussion

Discussion. Camponotus quadrimaculatus is similar to C. rotrae but in the latter the propodeal dorsum is straight. The minor workers of C. quadrimaculatus display a remarkable range of phenotypic diversity. This assertion of the diversity of morphological characters is made on the basis of specimens with similar promesonotum shape, dorsal outline of the propodeal dorsum, and color of the body. However, the geographic range of differences among the observed variants does not follow a simple pattern. One variant of the yellowish orange body color has a restricted geographic boundary in the north of Madagascar, while others, showing variation in the strength of the concavity on the propodeal dorsum, are widely distributed along the rainforests of the island. Across the wide geographic range of Camponotus quadrimaculatus, trait variations in the worker castes of C. quadrimaculatus sellaris, Camponotus kelleri and Camponotus kelleri var. invalidus have been observed. However, these variations do not present any pattern that separates them from the former species. Accordingly, C. quadrimaculatus sellaris, Camponotus kelleri and Camponotus kelleri var. invalidus are synonymyzed under Camp

Revision of the Malagasy Camponotus subgenus Myrmosaga (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using qualitative and quantitative morphology

distribution

Distribution and biology. Endemic to the Malagasy region, C. quadrimaculatus is known from Madagascar, the Comoros islands (Anjouan, Grand Comore and Moheli), and Mayotte (Fig. 69 D). In Madagascar, this species is widely distributed across most of the terrestrial habitats of the island except spiny bush and thicket in the southern region. Camponotus quadrimaculatus is typically found from littoral rainforest and dry forest through rainforest and montane rainforests to savannah woodland habitats. It also can colonize human-modified habitats adjacent to its natural areas of distribution. The yellowish orange variant of the species has a range restricted to the northern part of Madagascar, where it occupies not only natural rainforest areas of the RS Manongarivo and the Galoko Montain Chains and the littoral rainforest of Nosy Faly, but also human-modified areas such as coffee plantations, urban garden habitats, and disturbed littoral rainforest habitats.

Revision of the Malagasy Camponotus subgenus Myrmosaga (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using qualitative and quantitative morphology