Taxonomic notes on rattan-inhabiting ants of the genus Camponotus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Sk. Yamane, S. Hosoishi
& S. Syaukani
Abstract. Camponotus megalonyx Wheeler, 1919 is an ant species nesting in rattan and represents the single member of the subgenus Myrmopalpella Stärcke, 1934. Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) dracocephalus Stitz, 1938, syn. nov., described from a queen with a strangely shaped head is synonymised with C. megalonyx, based on the comparison of a queen from Sabah (Borneo), associated with a worker of C. megalonyx, with the images of the holotype of C. dracocephalus. Comparison of the type of C. dracocephalus with queens of other species from the subgenus Tanaemyrmex Ashmead, 1905 clearly confirms that this species should be excluded from the subgenus. Relationship of the species of the subgenus Myrmoplatys Forel, 1916, also inhabitants of rattans, with C. (Myrmopalpella) megalonyx is briefly discussed. Based on a number of characters of the worker and queen, C. (Myrmoplatys) korthalsiae concilians Forel, 1915 is upgraded to specific rank. An illustrated redescription of C. concilians stat. promotus is given.
Key words: Rattan, redescription, Borneo, Sumatra, Formicidae, Camponotus, Tanaemyrmex, Myrmopalpella, Myrmoplatys, new synonym
Zoosystematica Rossica, 2021, 30(2): 175–182 ▪ Published online 16 August 2021
https://doi.org/10.31610/zsr/2021.30.2.175 ▪ Open full article 
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