﻿A taxonomic revision of the Malagasy endemic subgenus Mayria of the genus Camponotus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) based on qualitative morphology and quantitative morphometric analyses.

Nicole Rasoamanana,Brian L Fisher

doi:10.3897/zookeys.1081.71872

Abstract

The subgenus Mayria of the genus Camponotus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is revised. The subgenus is endemic to Madagascar where it occupies a broad range of habitats, from deciduous and dry forest to rainforest. A taxonomic review is provided of this subgenus, integrating multiples lines of evidence including qualitative morphology and quantitative morphometry. Species hypotheses are formed by Nest Centroid clustering. In total, 36 species are treated, of which eleven are newly described: Camponotusandrianjakasp. nov., Camponotusantsaraingysp. nov., Camponotuschrislainisp. nov., Camponotusclaverisp. nov., Camponotusivadiasp. nov., Camponotusjjacquiasp. nov., Camponotusmaintilanysp. nov., Camponotusnorvigisp. nov., Camponotusihazofotsysp. nov., Camponotustsimelahysp. nov., Camponotuszorosp. nov. Five species are redescribed. Camponotusthemistocles Forel stat. nov., is raised to species. In addition, the subgenus is redefined to include 39 species. Twenty-two previously described species are transferred to this subgenus and thirteen species previously placed in the subgenus are transferred out of the subgenus. Nine morphologically consistent species groups are delineated to facilitate species identification within the subgenus. This revision includes a classification, a key to species groups, and an updated key to species based on the minor worker caste.

Highlights

The genus Camponotus Mayr, 1861 is one of the most speciose and widespread genera within the Formicidae, comprising more than 90 described species and subspecies in the Malagasy region
Camponotus ellioti has been considered a member of subgenus Myrmopiromis mainly because of the dense pilosity on its gastral dorsum and the humeral angle, but after morphological investigation, we find that the color of the integument can be a good indicator for separating Malagasy Camponotus species
C. norvigi appears closely related to the C. madagascarensis group because of its whitish pilosity, but the two differ in the structure of the mesosoma, which is low and long in the C. madagascarensis group and short and high in the C. darwinii group

Summary

Introduction

The genus Camponotus Mayr, 1861 is one of the most speciose and widespread genera within the Formicidae, comprising more than 90 described species and subspecies in the Malagasy region. This genus has received renewed attention over the last five years. In 2016, the Camponotus edmondi species group was revised by Rakotonirina et al (2016). Camponotus grandidieri and niveosetosus species groups, the subgenera Myrmopytia and Mayria have been revised (Rakotonirina et al 2017; Rasoamanana et al 2017; Rakotonirina and Fisher 2018). We redefine the subgenus and describe additional species using morphological features combined with morphometry

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Conclusion