Description of the Immatures of Workers of the Ant Camponotus vittatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Microscopy Res & Technique

et al. 2010

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Linepithema micans Forel is a poorly studied species that is now considered a pest in vineyards in South Brazil. Larval characters have been used in a few phylogenetic studies, and their importance greatly depends in the amount of available information on different species. This study presents a complete panorama on the external morphology of the immatures of L. micans based on observations by light and scanning electron microscopy. The number of larval instars was estimated as three based on the frequency distribution of head widths of 965 larvae. Larvae of L. micans were similar to other Linepithema Mayr in the general format of body and mandibles, presenting a dorsal abdominal protuberance, nine pairs of spiracle, and unbranched hairs. On the other hand, L. micans was unique for having shorter hairs, predominantly denticulate, intraspecific variation in the number of antennal sensilla and in the types of sensilla on the labial palps were reported.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Description of the immatures of workers of the ant Linepithema micans forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Nondillo

Microscopy Res & Technique

et al. 2010

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“…vittatus described in Solis et al (2010b). Thus, characteristics shared among these specimens are described below, and differences between are given in Tables 1–3.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Compared Morphology of the Immatures of Males of Two Urban Ant Species ofCamponotus

Journal of Insect Science

Rossi

et al. 2012

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The immatures of males of two species of Camponotus ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are described and compared by light and electron microscopy. The numbers of larval instars were determined: Camponotus rufipes Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) have four instars; and Camponotus vittatus Forel have three. Male larvae of the two species are similar to previously described Camponotus larvae, sharing the following traits: basic shape of body and mandible, presence of ‘chiloscleres’, ‘praesaepium’ (some specimens), labial pseudopalps, and ten pairs of spiracles. However, larvae of the two species can be separated by bodily dimensions and based on their hair number and types. Worker larvae of C. vittatus previously described are extensively similar to male larvae, with only a few inconspicuous differences that may result from intraspecific variation or sexual differences.

“…Larvae were collected irrespective of length size as we lack specific data on the relative larval sizes of workers, but from experience with other Camponotus we expect significant length differences to arise only at the prepupal stage (e.g. Solis et al, 2010). It should be emphasized that mature larvae of formicine ants are marked by the presence of pseudopalps.…”

Section: Sampling and Morphological Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Weaving through a cryptic species: Comparing the Neotropical ants Camponotus senex and Camponotus textor (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Lazoski

et al. 2017

Micron

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Camponotus senex (Fr. Smith 1858) and Camponotus textor Forel, 1899 are commonly confused species in the New World tropics. We provide morphological characteristics based on the larvae and adults, behavioural differences, together with evidence from molecular markers (cuticular hydrocarbon profiles, venom differences, nuclear ribosomal ITS-1, and mtDNA COI sequence comparisons) to separate the two species, demonstrating they are not immediately closely related. In conclusion we suggest new reliable morphological characters which can benefit from deeper phenetic analysis, and support the contextual usefulness of non-morphological tools in resolving sibling ant species.