A taxonomic revision of the Camponotus macrocephalus species group (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) in Australia

Australian ants in the Camponotus macrocephalus species group are reviewed. The group is defined here for the first time and contains eleven species i ncluding three new and one raised from subspecific to specific rank. In add ition, five new synonyms are proposed. The species placed in this group are : C. anderseni sp. nov., C. annetteae sp. nov., C. conithorax Emery, C. how ensis Wheeler, C. gasseri (Forel), C. janeti Forel, C. janforrestae sp. nov ., C. mackayensis Forel (previously a subspecies of C. reticalatus), C. mac rocephalus (Erichson), C. sanguinifrons Viehmeyer and C, vitreus (Smith). T he new synonyms are: C. gasseri coloratus Wheeler, C. gasseri lysias Forel and C. gasseri obtrusitrumcatus Forel with C. gasseri, and C.fictor augustu lus Viehmeyer and C, semicarinatus Ford with C, macrocephalus. The queens a nd major workers of these species display varying degrees of phragmosis fro m weak to very strong and the worker caste is dimorphic. Most are arboreal nesters.