The Ants of Africa
Genus Camponotus subgenus Tanaemyrmex
Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) aequatorialis Roger

maculatus species group
TL 8-10-12 mm plus; alitrunk profile convex in a smooth elongated curve, propodeal declivity not or poorly separable from dorsum, if the latter always much shorter than dorsum; petiole scale of major cuneiform, with convex anterior face and quite sharp dorsal margin; mostly bicoloured with alitrunk lighter and distinct light areas on gaster; dimorphic (?) minors with head narrowed posteriorly but not dramatically so and without any "neck".

Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) aequatorialis Roger

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server} Type location Gabon (Camponotus aequatorialis nov. sp., Roger, 1863a: 135, worker) - see below
subspecies kohli (Camponotus (Dinomyrmex) aequatorialis Rog. r. Kohli n. stirps, Forel, 1915c: 349) from Zaïre, Bengemizi, Lindi R., Kohl - see below
major and minor workers known (see Bolton, 1995) .


Roger's (1863a) description is at {original description}. Roger's (1863a) description of Camponotus cervicalis, from Madagascar, with which he made comparison is at {original description}. Forel's (1915c) description of kohli is at {original description}.

For kohli see lower down this page.

Recorded from Guinea, Mt. Nimba survey; a few workers at each of Yalanzou, Thio, location F, and Camp II (ravine at 1500 m); less rare at Sérengbara, Nion and N'Zo; forest and savannah areas by Bernard (1952) - who added previously unknown from French West Africa.


{Camponotus aequatorialis major}The photomontage of the type major worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=focol2375.


{Camponotus aequatorialis major}The photomontage of the kohli type major worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0910041.


{Camponotus aequatorialis minor}The photomontage of the  kohli type minor worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0910042.


Oxford University Museum specimens

Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) aequatorialis
B Taylor det.
Ivory Coast
Erena Dupont
ii.2014
Taï National Park
5˚45'00" N
7˚07'00" W
05
minor
1
{album}
Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) aequatorialis
B Taylor det.
Central African Republic
P Annoyer
EE-04
31.i.2005
Dzanga-Sangha
02°49’07.9" N
16°09’28.3" E
Camp 2; prélèvements à 35-40m du sol dans un Azobé (Lophira alata, Ochnaceae), 11h-17h; 377m asl

1
{album}
Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) aequatorialis
B Taylor det.
Central African Republic
P Annoyer
Camp 1C
12-18.x.2008
Dzanga-Sangha
03°03'58.3" N 16°08'59.6" E
528 m; Ayous Barber campement

4
{album}
Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) aequatorialis
B Taylor det.
Rep. of Congo
D De Bakker & JP Michiels
ex Y Braet
18.ix.2007
Mayombe
05°37'16" S
13°05'54" E
266 m asl
Canopy fogging
minor worker

1
{album}

{Camponotus aequatorialis minor} The photomontage is of a minor worker from the Central African Republic, Camp 2; collector Philippe Annoyer.


kohli form

Forel (1915c) described kohli as -
MAJOR - TL 8.9-11 mm; mandibles with 6-7 teeth, subopaque, very finely reticulate, with spaced puncturations. Clypeus carinate with a short anterior lobe, slightly trapezoidal with anterior edges straight. Frontal carinae sigmoid and divergent. Head broad, but a little longer than wide; strongly narrowed anteriorly and feebly concave on the posterior border. Eyes set between the midline and the posterior one-third of the head. Scapes strongly curved, quite cylindrical, surpassing the occiput by about twice their width. Thorax dorsum as convex as in the type. Propodeal declivity a little shorter than the dorsum. Petiole scale higher than its basal length, with truncated narrow convex summit, almost subacuminate. Tibia subcylindrical, with two or three denticles apically and sides feebly channeled.
Shiny, head superficially and finely reticulate, with sparse piligerous hair-pits. Thorax, appendages and gaster feebly shagreened between sparse puncturations. Erect pilosity rust, quite long but sparse on the body, none on the tibiae and tarsi. Pubescence very fine, very short and very spaced out all over.
Colour of head, appendages and gaster brown black; occipital angles, posterior clypeus and mandible apices, plus part of the thorax of red brown. Basal part of gaster, funiculi, base and apex of scapes, lower legs and part of thorax yellow rust. Narrow transverse band on first gastral segment and base of mandibles brown.
MINOR - mandibles with 6 teeth and clypeus as major. Head near twice as long as wide, rectangular before the eyes, narrowed posteriorly but without forming a neck, sides convex. Scape surpassing the occiput by near half its length. Eyes quite convex, behind the midline. Thorax and scale as in major, scale a little higher than its basal thickness, subacuminate. Head and scapes brown rust, rest as major.
Collected at Benzima on the Lindi, "two days" from Kisangani [Stanleyville], Zaïre, by Kohl.

Wheeler (1922) had several records from the Congo basin.


{Camponotus aequatorialis kohli major} The photomontage is of a major worker from the Central African Republic; collector Philippe Annoyer. This, and the minor below, appear to be a good match for Forel's description (the amount of erect pilosity is greater on these).


{Camponotus kohli minor}


{Camponotus aequatorialis minor} The photomontage is of a minor worker from the Congo, Mayombe; collectors  D De Bakker & JP Michiels.


{Camponotus aequatorialis minor} The photomontage is of a minor worker from the Ivory Coast, Tai National Park; collector Erena Dupont (05).

Contents
© 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018 - Brian Taylor CBiol FRSB FRES
11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.

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