6 replies to this topic

[nurbs]

1. Location: Chaney Trail, Altadena CA

2. Date: 3-30-2018

3. Habitat: Canyon riparian foothills, both found crawling on ground

4. Length: 15mm

5. Coloration: Very shiny black body, reddish coloring on legs 

6. Distinguishing characteristics: Very shiny, "stocky" build, shorter legs than C. vicinus

 

Found one of these last year at Chaney, and it is doing well with 20+ workers. About to take them out of hibernation. 

 

Always assumed they were some mutant Camponotus vicinus, but questioned that due to their shorter legs and very shiny exterior. 

 

This past weekend, found two more. Drew also found some this year, and confirmed it is not C. vicinus.

 

I am no expert, and this is an educated guess - but believe this to be Camponotus maritimus. 

 

Everything about their description matches this:

 

"Workers of C. maritimus can be distinguished from those of Camponotus vicinus by the narrower scape base, shorter scape, shorter legs, more closely adjacent frontal carinae, shinier integument, and sparser pubescence on abdominal tergites 3 and 4 (appressed hairs separated by about their lengths in C. maritimus, by less than their lengths in C. vicinus)"

 

http://www.antwiki.o...notus_maritimus

 

I'll leave this here for discussion and maybe get corrected by the experts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gcsnelling]

Always suspected this was not a black form of vicinus.

[dspdrew]

The only thing I confirmed is that they are not of the Camponotus subgenus, with that obvious clypeal carina (ruling out C. quercicola).

 

 

Always suspected this was not a black form of vicinus.

 

When you say "this" what are you referring to exactly?

[nurbs]

According to antwiki, they are closely related to C. vicinus, recently described in 2005 by Ward, P.S.

 

This is probably why they are not in even in the Camponotus key.

 

http://www.antwiki.o...notus_maritimus

 

"Medium-sized species, related to Camponotus vicinus but smaller on average and with a shinier appearance. Masticatory margin of mandibles with five teeth, the first four (counting from apex) acute, the proximal tooth truncate or weakly bifid, and subtended by a small tooth on the outer basal margin of mandible (dentition simpler—five acute teeth only—in smaller workers). Head as long as, or longer than, wide; sides of head weakly convex, diverging posteriorly, and rounding into concave posterior margin (in smaller workers sides of head subparallel and posterior margin convex). Eye about one-quarter of head length and not protruding from side of head in full-face view (breaking outline of head in smallest workers). Anterior clypeal margin crenulate, broadly convex in outline; median clypeal carina prominently developed. Scape relatively short (Figure 3); scape base subcylindrical, not strongly flattened or flared. Frontal carinae separated anteriorly by about one-fifth head width, flaring out posteriorly to about one-third of head width. Mesosoma dorsum convex in profile; dorsal face of propodeum longer than, and rounding into, declivitous face; propodeum markedly compressed from side to side. Petiole simple, scale-like in profile, with blunt summit, and convex in posterior view."

[dspdrew]

After looking at mine, I think this is probably what they are. These differences between them and C. vicinus are pretty obvious, mainly the shinier integument, and absence of hair. Other than Little Thomas Mountain (the only year I saw a large Camponotus flight up there), Chaney Trail is the only place I have found these. The all-black ground-nesting ants I have found in Mt. Baldy and Angelas Oaks are definitely C. vicinus.
 
Edit: Scratch the Little Thomas Mountain thing. I just looked at my ID thread, and that queen is really hairy. Not the same species.

Edited by dspdrew, April 5 2018 - 11:44 PM.

[YsTheAnt]

Do these have majors with red heads? If so, I might have a colony of them near me. I have yet to see a C. Vicinus with red heads, so this might be the ones I have.

[nurbs]

Do these have majors with red heads? If so, I might have a colony of them near me. I have yet to see a C. Vicinus with red heads, so this might be the ones I have.

Worker heads are black, some with dark red/maroon thorax and legs.

 

EDIT:

 

Just uploaded video showing workers.

 

Edited by nurbs, April 16 2018 - 4:18 PM.