Species: Camponotus schmeltzi kadi

Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2013)

Distribution:

Endemic to the Fiji Islands. Gau: Navukailagi 387, Navukailagi 408, Navukailagi 432, Navukailagi 490, Navukailagi 496, Navukailagi 557, Navukailagi 564, Navukailagi 575. Kabara: Kabara. Ovalau: Andubagenda.Taveuni: Lake Tagimaucia. Vanua Levu: Mt. Delaikoro 910, Wainunu, Suene, Labasa. Viti Levu: Mt. Tomanivi 700 b, Navai 700, Mt. Tomanivi 700, Nadala 300, Navai 770, Navai 930, Monasavu Dam 800, Mt. Naqaranabuluti 1050, Mt. Tomanivi 950, Monasavu 800, Monasavu Dam 600, Navai 1020, Nadarivatu 750, Navai.

Biology:

Camponotus kadi is a dark black species with distinctly lighter trocanters that is endemic to the Fiji islands and is mostly confined to the arboreal strata. It belongs to the schmeltzi complex which is composed of three species (C. kadi, C. lauensis, and C. schmeltzi), and is recognized by the angled posterolateral corners of the head and laterally compressed mesosoma. The species is known from Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Gau and Koro. Camponotus kadi was most often collected in malaise traps, nesting in dead wood, and foraging on vegetation. However, the species was also collected from the ground and by litter sifting.

Identification:

Camponotus kadi encompasses a broad range of geographically distinct morphotypes. Although the type locality of the species is in Vanua Levu, no specimens matching the description were collected there during the recent survey. However, the survey did collect a considerable amount of material from Viti Levu and Gau, where leg color and size tend to vary among individuals and populations within islands. The most extreme deviations are observed in the Gau specimens, where the coxae and legs of individuals can approach a color nearly as dark as the body.

Mann also described C. schmeltzi var. loloma from Lau, and C. schmeltzi subsp. troterri from Taveuni. Here we are synonymizing C. loloma with C. schmeltzi, and C. trotteri withC. kadi. The propodeum of C. trotteri forms a distinct posterior tooth that is distinctly different from any of the material examined from Viti Levu or Gau, but the difference in pilosity as discussed by Mann is far more subtle. The propodeum variation found in C. loloma varies from being nearly identical to that of C. kadi from Viti Levu and Gau to a very close approximation of C. trotteri from Taveuni. If the various forms occurred in sympatry, it would be easier to justify raising each of them to species. However, the lack of sympatry combined with a demonstrated tendency towards morphological plasticity makes the matter more complicated, and thus the tentative decision to consider them geographic variants of a single species.

Even with the expanded definition of C. kadi, as proposed here, distinct differences can separate both the majors and minors from the larger C. schmeltzi. The minor workers ofC. schmeltzi are relatively large with the posterolateral corners of the head acutely angled, and the entire leg from coxa to femur is uniformly light brown to black. The minor workers of C. kadi are relatively small, the posterolateral corners of the head are evenly rounded, and the trochanter and distal portion of the coxa is a pale yellow that contrasts with the darker brown of the tibia and basal portion of the coxa. The major workers of C. schmeltzi are also larger, exhibit the same uniform color from coxa to the tibia as in seen in the minors, and series of strong well-defined longitudinal carinae are present on both the cheeks and clypeus. The majors of C. kadi (examined only from the Viti Levu and Gau population) are smaller, possess the same contrasting trochanters, and weak poorly defined carinulae are present on the cheeks and clypeus.

Taxon Page Images:

Plate_45_Camponotus_kadi (Sarnat & Economo, in press).

Taxonomic Notes:

Specimens of C. kadi from the non-type localities of Wainunu and Suene at the MCZC bear red cotype labels, but are not true syntypes.

References:

Mann, W.M. (1921) The ants of the Fiji Islands. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 64, 401-499.

Sarnat, E.M. & Economo, E.P. (In Press) Ants of Fiji. University of California Publications in Entomology.

Taxon Page Author History

Specimen Data Summary

Found most commonly in these habitats: 73 times found in primary rainforest, 8 times found in disturbed forest, 2 times found in forest edge, 2 times found in primary raiforest, 1 times found in bryophyte forest, 1 times found in disturbed habitat, 1 times found in tropical moist forest

Collected most commonly using these methods or in the following microhabitats: 13 times hand collection, 1 times 5m interval winks

Elevations: collected from 300 - 1050 meters, 695 meters average

2 Specimens Imaged | View All 131 Specimens for this species

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