To cite this page, please use the following:
· For print: Citation: AntWeb. Version 8.55.2. California Academy of Science, online at https://www.antweb.org. Accessed .
· For web:
Extant: 2 valid subspecies
Taxonomic history
32. Camponotus ligniperdaHNS (Latreille, 1802)
Fig. 122.
Formica ligniperda LatreilleHNS, 1802a:88.
This species is similar in all castes to C. herculeanusHNS but distinguished by the brighter colour and more shining gaster.
Worker. Alitrunk bright yellowish red to red; pubescence is short and sparse, usually absent on medial dorsal surfaces of the first and second gaster tergites. Length: 6-14 mm.
Queen. Propodeum, scale and usually anterior face of gaster clear red, rest worker, head punctures shallow. Length: 16-18 mm.
Male. Pilosity reduced so that projecting hairs usually absent from the first gasw tergite with only one or two present towards the posterior border of the second tergite. Length: 8-12 mm.
Distribution. Common in Central and South Fennoscandia north to latitude 63°; more local in Denmark; not found in British Isles. - Range: Central Spain to West Russia, Sicily to Central Sweden.
Biology. This species is characteristically found in stony banks and along the sun exposed borders of woodland, either nesting under stones or in dry stumps. It is an aggressive ant biting freely and will sometimes attack other CamponotusHNS or FormicaHNS colonies. The larger workers bite their opponents clean through the alitrunk or crush their heads with their strong mandibles. A more xerothermic species than C. herculeanusHNS its habits are otherwise similar.
Found most commonly in these habitats: 90 times found in Unknown, 2 times found in Rocks (rocky-calcareous grasslands), 2 times found in Forest, 2 times found in N-slope, pine forest, 2 times found in Mixed montane forest, 1 times found in P. sylvestris, Betula, Juniperus, 2 times found in beech forest, 2 times found in montane coniferous forest, 1 times found in rock in coniferous forest, 1 times found in deciduous forest, ...
Found most commonly in these microhabitats: 6 times on the ground, 4 times ground forager, 3 times under stone, 3 times ground foragers, 1 times Tocón, 2 times on tree, 1 times Base of stump, log stage 2, 1 times undermoss, 1 times under small stone, 1 times under leaf litter, 1 times roadside, ...
Collected most commonly using these methods: 28 times search, 26 times Manual catch, 6 times Hand.
Elevations: collected from 250 - 1950 meters, 1104 meters average
Collect Date Range: collected between 1881-08-29 and 2020-08-14
Type specimens: syntype of Camponotus herculeanus herculeanoligniperdus: casent0909956