Camponotus planatus, known generally as the compact carpenter ant or short carpenter ant, is one of three Camponotus species that is polygynous, or has more than one queen. It is a species of ant (family Formicidae).Sharkey M.J. (2007). Phylogeny and Classification of Hymenoptera."Phylogenetic relationships among superfamilies of Hymenoptera", Sharkey M.J., Carpenter J.M., Vilhelmsen L., et al. 2012. Cladistics 28(1): 80-112.Ward, P.S. (2007). "Phylogeny, classification, and species-level taxonomy of ants". Zootaxa 1668 549–563Bolton, B., Alpert, G., Ward, S. Naskrecki, P. (2007). A New General Catalogue of the Ants of the World 1758–2005Riley, Edward G., Clark, Shawn M., and Gilbert, Arthur J. (2001). "New records, nomenclatural changes, and taxonomic notes for select North American leaf beetles". Insecta Mundi. 176. Arthropod mimics

Four species of arthropod mimic Camponotus planatus within the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve of British Honduras. This is both Batesian and Wassmanian mimicry. The first mimic is the clubnoid spider (Myrmecotypus fuliginosus) which mimics C. planatus in various ways including morphology and behaviour. Secondly, the salticid spider Sarindia linda mimics C. planatus so well that they are hard to distinguish. S. linda mimics the locomotion patterns, pumping of the abdomen, and movements of the antennae. The third mimic is a Mirid bug (Barberiella) which mimics the model in both gait and antennal mimicry. Finally, the mantid, Mantoida maya also uses C. planatus as a model. Individuals that mimic C. planatus are typically 3-9mm long and predators tend to avoid them. All four mimics have been seen foraging in areas with their model with no interference.

Seasonal diet shift Camponotus planatus in Yucatan, Mexico, exhibits a seasonal shift in feeding habits based on carbon isotopic evidence. During the dry season, these ants primarily forage on nectar from the CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) orchid Schomburgkia tibicinis, accumulating high levels of CAM-metabolized carbon in their tissues. However, in the wet season, they shift to foraging on other nectar sources and insect prey, which are primarily C3 plants. This change is evident through stable carbon isotope analysis, which shows increased C3 carbon in ant tissues during the wet seasonRico-Gray, V., & Leonel da Silveira Lobo Sternberg. (1991). Carbon Isotopic Evidence for Seasonal Change in Feeding Habits of Camponotus planatus Roger (Formicidae) in Yucatan, Mexico. Biotropica, 23(1), 93–95. https://doi.org/10.2307/2388694

Subspecies Camponotus planatus acaciae Emery, 1920 Camponotus planatus colombicus Forel, 1899 Camponotus planatus continentis Forel, 1901 Camponotus planatus esdras Forel, 1916 Camponotus planatus planatus Roger, 1863

References

Hansson C, Lachaud J, Pérez-Lachaud G (2011). "Entedoninae wasps (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Eulophidae) associated with ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in tropical America, with new species and notes on their biology". ZooKeys 134: 62–82.

Further reading

Arnett, Ross H. (2000). American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico. CRC Press.