The Ants of Africa
Genus Camponotus subgenus Myrmotrema
Camponotus (Myrmotrema) grandidieri Forel

Camponotus (Myrmotrema) grandidieri Forel

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server} Type location Madagascar (Camponotus Grandidieri n. sp., Forel, 1886c: ciii, major & minor workers; Forel, 1892l: 232, male; Forel, 1912k: 166, queen) M Grandidier - link below; see Bolton, 1995)
subspecies
atrabilis (Camponotus (Myrmotrema) Grandideri For. var. atrabilis n. var., Santschi, 1915c: 273, minor worker) Madagascar Ste Marie, Voeltzkow
comorensis (Campontus (Myrmotrema) Grandideri For. var. comorensis n. var., Santschi, 1915c: 274, major & minor workers) Comoro Is, H Pobéguin
mendax (Camponotus foraminosus Forel sous-esp. mendax n. subsp., Emery, 1895h: 54, worker; note the other similarly named species, Forel, 1895e: 454, major, is from India) South Africa, Hamman's Kraal - see below
ruspolii (Camponotus foraminosus Forel r. Ruspolii n. stirps, Forel, 1892d: 349 - name only given; Menozzi, 1926a: 39, queen) Somalia, coll. Ruspoli - see below
probably also unavailable names
rollei (Camponotus foraminosus Forel subsp. ruspolii Forel var. rollei n. var., Forel, 1910c: 270, major) South Africa, Zoutspansberg, Transvaal, 800', Rolle - no images on Antweb (September 2014)
rubrolabiatus (Camponotus (Myrmotrema) foraminosus For. r. ruspolii For. var. rubrolabiatus n. var., Stitz, 1923: 165) Namibia, Okahandja, 27-28.iv.1911 - no images on Antweb (September 2014)
all forms described .


Forel had mentioned the discovery and name earlier in his description of foraminosus (see above, Forel, 1879a) - as "described elsewhere" but the actual publication was not until 1886.

Forel's (1886c) description was
WORKER - TL 5.0-8.2 mm; close to foraminosus but with head triangular and a larger propodeum (rather more like subgenus Colobopsis). Integument of a delicate nature, with short legs and antennae which break off easily.
Head triangular with rounded sides. Mandibles short and slender, with hairs, six-seven teeth, numerous pronounced and deep puncturations, very finely reticulo-striate between puncturations. Clypeus almost rectangular, with near parallel sides, no carinae, extended forwards in a very short rectangular lobe with a straight edge, cut away on each side of the central lobe. Thorax strongly vaulted, especially anteriorly. Gaster also large.
Thorax, gaster, whole of head and antennal fosses puncturate like a thimble, the puncturation very dense, giving a microscopic granular appearance. Legs and antennae, also cheeks in major, very finely reticulate. Petiole scale and propodeal declivity finely and transversely striato-puncturate. Hairs arise from the large deep round punctures (hair pits) on the genae, the spaces between the punctures are densely packed with smaller punctures each giving rise to a small hair, giving the whole a carious (scaly) appearance.
The whole body is covered with coarse silvery pubescence, this is quite short although longer on the gaster and slightly aligned, which with the sculpture gives the ant a silky appearance. The antennae and legs have a finer pubescence. A number of slender, erect white hairs are scattered on the body, notably on the border of the petiole scale and the gaster. The tibiae and scapes are without erect hairs.
Body matt black. Antennae (except the apex of the funiculus), tarsi, tibiae, part of the femora, mandibles (other than the teeth on the major) reddish. In the major the anterior border of the clypeus and the genae also reddish.
From Madagascar, collector M Grandidier.
C. foraminosus has the same sculpturation, but has an almost flat thorax (slightly vaulted) from front to back, a very narrow propodeum, and fine yellowish-grey pubescence forming a pelt on the gaster.

Emery's (1895h) description of mendax is at {original description}. Forel's (1910c) description of rollei is at {original description}. Santschi's (1915c) descriptions are at {original description}. Stitz's (1923) description of rubrolabiatus is at {original description}. Arnold (1924: 731) gave translations, including rollei, these are at {original description}. Menozzi's (1926a) description of the queen of ruspolii is at {original description}.


See the Madagascar type at http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?name=casent0101368


{Camponotus grandidieri ruspolii major}The photomontage of ruspolii is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0102451
Collection Information: Specimen Code CASENT0102451; Locality Somalia: [Somalis]; Collection codes: ANTC4664; Collected by: Keller


{Camponotus grandidieri mendax}The photomontage of a major worker of mendax, as listed by Emery (1895h: 54) is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0905423
Note: Antweb list this as Camponotus foraminosus eumendax.  Emery wrote that he had not seen a minor worker of this form that, by the sculpture and pubescence (pilosity?) imitatited exactly C. grandidieri Forel but the alitrunk was as with C. olivieri and the head more elongated than grandidieri.  It appears to me to be a minor worker of grandidieri.


{Camponotus grandidieri minor}The photomontage is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0104619
Collection Information: Specimen Code CASENT0104619; Locality Mozambique: [Delagoa]; Collection codes: ANTC5989; Date: Collected by: Liengme. This is labelled "Myrmotrema foraminosus aldabrensis" but the propodeum profile shows the unevenness of grandidieri.


{Camponotus grandidieri queen}The photomontage of a type collection queen is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0101372


{Camponotus grandidieri male}The photomontage of a type collection male is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0101371

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© 2007, 2011, 2014, 2018 - Brian Taylor CBiol FRSB FRES
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