Camponotus (Orthonotomyrmex) obtusus (F Smith) - revived status

Type location Egypt (Formica obtusa, Smith, F., 1858b, worker; synonymised with sericeus by Roger, 1863b: 2 [unavailable in HNS, but seems to be a simple list]; Smith's description is at - Notably relatively short; head and alitrunk dull red; petiole node incrassate, i.e. thickened, and apex emarginate; greater portion of the pubescence is rubbed off [note the mssing pubescence on the Sudan example, below] .

The drawings (right) from Mayr (1862) and Emery (1925b) appear to show the obtusus shape of alitrunk and major and minor heads respectively (the major head being much wider and squarer and the minor head being more rectangular), and the drawing given for an Indian example by Bingham (1903, below) shows the quite high and slender petiole node (Bingham described it as "rounded, knob like"). For comparisons see Camponotus (Orthonotomyrmex) sericeus.

Speculatively variations include - opaciventris (Mayr, 1879: 648, worker; junior synonym Bingham, 1903: 376; revived from synonymy as variety, Forel 1908a: 6, cited in Emery, 1925b: 126) from India, peguensis (Emery, 1895k: 479, worker) from Burma (also igniceps, as var of peguensis, Forel, 1913e: 664, worker, from Sri Lanka), and sanguiniceps (Donisthorpe, 1942d: 458, worker) from South India, and pyrrhocephala (Motschoulsky, 1863: 11, worker) from Sri Lanka; from Sahel and North Africa - euchrous (Santschi, 1926b: 267, queen) from French Sudan [western Sahel; not modern Sudan, as given by Bolton, 1995].

Mayr (1862: 675) provided a detailed, illustrated description of sericeus sensu lato, but curiously did not list any African localities (other than Egypt), this is at . Motschoulsky's (1863) description of pyrrhocephala is at . Mayr's (1879) description of opaciventris is at . Forel (1891b: 56) provided a description and notes which seem to blanket both the sericeus ss and obtusus forms, this is at . Bingham (1903: 376) provided a description and notes, this is at .

Santschi (1926b) had - the type is entirely black, the pelt of pubescence is greyish yellow
v obtusus Sm. - head red; alitrunk variable black or red; legs brown; pubescence somewhat golden; petiole, scale less thick at summit [from Egypt, Port Said by Karavaiev; from Obok, by Maindron, 1893; and from Jansuame, Sahara, Iferouman Region, by Mission Fourreau-Lamy, 1900).
v euchrous n. var. - head, alitrunk and appendages red often quite bright; more slender; petiole scale higher; gaster black; pubescence greyish yellow; from "French Sudan".

Donisthorpe's (1942d) description of sanguiniceps was simply - "Some of these soldiers (from Dohnavur, 350 ft, Tinnevelly District, S. India, 30.ix., 1 & 8.x.38) ... possess blood-red heads, = var sanguiniceps Donis.".

Collingwood (1985: 282 and in key p 276), recording "C. sericeus" from Saudi Arabia, noted that in profile the dorsal outline of the alitrunk is interrupted by a deep metanotal groove; also whole body densely sculptured, hairy and opaque; propodeum broadly dentate. He added that it is a hardy, daytime forager and tends coccids on trees and shrubs.

Summary Description (comparision with sericeus s.s).
MAJOR - head much wider than long; scapes more slender but apically thicker; whole alitrunk relatively short; mesonotum profile sinuous (evenly convex in sericeus); propodeum dorsum significantly shorter than declivity; in profile propodeum dorsum is convex, from above it is simply medially shallowly concave (sericeus has a variable longitudinal carina); petiole thick but squamiform; erect pilosity sparser, shorter and finer; sculpturation of head noticeably coarser; much less pubescence on head (except clypeus) and alitrunk; overall matt with only a low lustre; pubescence bright golden; general colour dark red, near black on gaster, funiculi and tarsi lighter.

The photomontage is of a major worker from Saudi Arabia, Farasan Islands, Red Sea, 42° 11' E, 16° 42' N; protectorate building, collected by Mostafa Sharaf, 26.iv.2006. Other images can be seen in the folder at -

The photomontage is of a minor worker from Saudi Arabia, as above, collected by Mostafa Sharaf.

The photomontage is of specimens originally photographed in Egypt by Mostafa Sharaf; from Siwa oasis (Western desert) in 1996, collected by Dr.Ahmed Saad, Professor of Insect Behaviour, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo

The photomontage is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0010986 Collection Information: Specimen Code CASENT0010986; Locality Sudan: Salom, Red Sea Coast; 19°22'38"N 037°06'35"E; Collection codes: ANTC3715; Date: 15 Dec 2003; Collected by: H. Eriksson; Habitat: cultivated area, irrigated area.