Camponotus rectangularis

Nomenclature

Species:Camponotus rectangularis Emery, 1890

Usage: valid

General description

Camponotus rectangularis is a dull brick red to brown polymorphic species with a distinctively angulate propodeum, giving the mesosoma a rectangular shape. The species is native to the Neotropics, from Guatemala south to Brazil, and is occasionally intercepted at US ports of entry. Very little has been published on C. rectangularis, and the extent of its natural history is known primarily from Jack Longino’s observations from Costa Rica (see below). He noted the species prefers xeric and synanthropic habitats. Colonies were found nesting in dead branches and stems in low vegetation. Longino also mentioned that the discovery of lone foundress queens suggests a monogynous claustral founding. A handful of subspecies were described by on the basis of different color patterns (Wheeler, 1933a). 

External links

Antweb | Antwiki | EOL | BOLD

Risk statement

Not considered a significant pest.

Diagnostic description

Diagnosis of worker among Antkey species

Worker caste polymorphic. Antenna 12-segmented. Antennal club indistinct. Antennal scape length less than 1.5x head length. Eyes medium to large (greater than 6 facets); lacking distinct ocelli. Antennal sockets and posterior clypeal margin separated by a distance equal to or greater than the minimum width of antennal scape. Head length longer than head width. Dorsum of mesosoma lacking impression such that entire mesosomal dorsal profile forms an unbroken, convex curve. Propodeum and petiolar node both lacking a pair of short teeth. Propodeum angulate with a distinct dorsal and posterior face; lacking posteriorly projecting protrusion. Metapleuron lacking a distinct gland orifice. Waist 1-segmented. Petiole upright and not appearing flattened. Gaster armed with acidopore. Distinct constriction not visible between abdominal segments 3+4. Hairs not long thick and produced in pairs. Gaster uniform or nearly uniform in color, lacking transverse bands running near posterior margins of tergites that contrast with the rest of gaster and body. Erect hairs and sparse on head, mesosoma and gaster.

Camponotus rectangularis is diagnosed from other members of the genus introduced or commonly intercepted in the United States by the following characters: (1) metanotal groove not distinctly impressed (versus C. sexguttatus); (2) long erect hairs absent from head, mesosoma and gaster (versus present in C. atriceps and C. planatus); (3) erect hairs thick and stiff (versus fine and flexuous in C. atriceps); (4) gaster concolorous (versus variegated in C. variegatus); (5) propodeum strongly angulate with a distinct dorsal and posterior face (versus C. sexguttatus and C. variegatus).

Distribution

Native range. Neotropics from Guatemala south to Brazil.

USA POE intercept records. Arizona: Nogales (in Randi sp. from Mexico). Florida: Miami (on bromeliads from Guatemala; on orchids from Honduras). Texas: Laredo (on bromeliads from Mexico). 

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