A catalogue of the ants of Paraguay (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Author
Wild, Alexander L.
text
Zootaxa
2007
1622
1
55
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.179222
9584df9a-a4a2-49bb-a256-cb99776f4dc8
1175-5326
179222
Camponotus lespesii
Forel 1886
c
.
Camponotus sexguttatus
r.
lespesii
Forel 1886c: 169
. [
holotype
w examined, MHNG;
Colombia
].
Camponotus lespesi
subsp.
melancholicus
Emery 1894b: 2
.
NEW SYNONYMY.
[w
syntypes
examined, MCSN, MHNG; Colonia Risso,
Paraguay
(Borelli)]
Camponotus lespesi
Forel. Mayr 1887: 513
.
Camponotus
(
Dinomyrmex
)
lespesi
Forel. Forel 1914a: 268
.
Camponotus
(
Tanaemyrmex
)
lespesi
Forel. Emery 1925: 83
.
Camponotus
(
Tanaemyrmex
)
lespesi
subsp.
melancholica
Emery. Emery 1925: 83
.
Camponotus
(
Tanaemyrmex
)
lespesi melancholicus
Forel. Kempf 1972: 68
.
In my opinion the literature records of
C. lespesii
and
C. lespesii melancholicus
from
Paraguay
pertain to a single species, and the differences in identification stem from alternate taxonomic interpretations on the part of Forel and Emery. All of the material I have examined is rather homogenous and closely matches Emery’s
melancholicus
types
. The distinct appearance of this ant renders it unlikely to be confused with any other species in
Paraguay
.
Camponotus lespesii
is large (mesosomal length> 3.5mm in
major
workers) and more
gracile
than any other Paraguayan
Camponotus
of similar size. Additional diagnostic characters include: head of
major
worker considerably longer than broad; sides of head of
major
bearing>15 standing setae; antennal scapes lacking standing setae; antennal scapes longer than head length; mesosoma low and elongate, declivitous propodeal face less than 1/3 length of dorsal face; sculpture of head, mesosoma, and gaster opaque.
Forel’s
lespesii
type
, a large
minor
worker from
Colombia
, is somewhat lighter in color than the Paraguayan specimens but is otherwise similar. For the purpose of eliminating a trinomen I synonymize
C. melancholicus
here.