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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.