The Ants of Africa
Genus Camponotus subgenus Tanaemyrmex
Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) sexpunctatus Forel

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) sexpunctatus Forel

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server} Type locality Mozambique (Camponotus sexpunctatus n. spec., Forel, 1894b: 66, major & minor workers & queen) Delagoa Bay, Rev Paul Berthoud; major & minor workers & queen only described (see Bolton, 1995) .

Forel's (1894b) description is at {original description}. Arnold (1922: 633) gave a translation, as Camponotus (Myrmoturba) maculatus race sexpunctatus Forel, this is at {original description}.

From Arnold's rather confusing comments, it seems that this either is identical to Camponotus probativus or is a subspecies of maculatus; either way it is must be regarded as of dubious status as a species. Santschi (1921d), however, clearly felt Forel had missed differentiating a mixed batch of specimens with examples of sexpunctatus and probativus.

{Camponotus sexpunctatus major}The photomontage of the type major worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0905797. Note the label compares it with Camponotus rubripes and it is very similar to the West African workers that I have separated as C. rubripes.

{Camponotus sexpunctatus minor}The photomontage of the type minor worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0905798.

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© 2007, 2011, 2014 - Brian Taylor CBiol FSB FRES
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