Extant: 1 valid subspecies
Formica vaga Scopoli, 1763 PDF: 312 (w.) AUSTRIA. Palearctic. AntCat AntWiki HOLTaxonomic history
[Misspelled as vagans by Emery, 1891c: 20.].Latreille, 1802a PDF: 96 (w.q.m.); Hauschteck, 1961 PDF: 221 (k.).Combination in Camponotus: Roger, 1863b PDF: 1.Combination in Camponotus (Camponotus): Forel, 1914a PDF: 266.Subspecies of Camponotus herculeanus: Emery, 1896j PDF: 372 (in list); Emery, 1908a PDF: 185; Bondroit, 1910 PDF: 488; Krausse, 1912c PDF: 166; Stitz, 1914 PDF: 95; Escherich, 1917: 330 (in key); Karavaiev, 1926e PDF: 192; Karavaiev, 1927a PDF: 295; Teranishi, 1940: 72; Azuma, 1951 PDF: 88.Status as species: Gmelin, 1790 PDF: 2804; Christ, 1791 PDF: 512; Olivier, 1792: 492; Emery, 1891c: 20; Forel, 1892j PDF: 306; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 255; Ruzsky, 1896 PDF: 68; Ruzsky, 1902d PDF: 5; Forel, 1904c PDF: 380; Ruzsky, 1905b: 241; Forel, 1907h PDF: 15; Forel, 1914a PDF: 266; Forel, 1915d: 68 (in key); Emery, 1916a PDF: 225; Menozzi, 1918 PDF: 87; Bondroit, 1918 PDF: 71; Nadig, 1918 PDF: 340; Emery, 1920b PDF: 255; Menozzi, 1921 PDF: 32; Kulmatycki, 1922 PDF: 85; Soudek, 1922b PDF: 94; Müller, 1923a PDF: 73; Müller, 1923b PDF: 158; Finzi, 1923a PDF: 4; Finzi, 1924a PDF: 14; Emery, 1925d PDF: 74; Schkaff, 1925b PDF: 275; Santschi, 1926f PDF: 288; Karavaiev, 1927d: 275 (in key); Donisthorpe, 1927a PDF: 8; Lomnicki, 1928 PDF: 10; Santschi, 1929e PDF: 158; Finzi, 1930d PDF: 317; Santschi, 1931a: 11; Santschi, 1932e PDF: 71; Santschi, 1932h PDF: 4; Arnol'di, 1933a: 602 (in key); Grandi, 1935 PDF: 103; Zimmermann, 1935 PDF: 57; Karavaiev, 1936: 182 (redescription); Stitz, 1939: 246; Novák & Sadil, 1941 PDF: 110 (in key); Röszler, 1950 PDF: 210; Donisthorpe, 1950e PDF: 1066; Yasumatsu & Brown, 1951 PDF: 31; Consani & Zangheri, 1952 PDF: 43; Ceballos, 1956: 315; Pisarski, 1961 PDF: 161; Baroni Urbani, 1964c PDF: 162; Cagniant, 1964 PDF: 90; Arnol'di, 1967 PDF: 1827; Bernard, 1967a PDF: 341 (redescription); Cagniant, 1968a PDF: 146; Kutter, 1968b: 60; Collingwood & Yarrow, 1969 PDF: 81; Cagniant, 1970c PDF: 37; Baroni Urbani, 1971c PDF: 179; Collingwood, 1971 PDF: 164; Pisarski, 1975: 30; Arnol'di & Dlussky, 1978: 551; Collingwood, 1978 PDF: 90 (in key); Collingwood, 1979 PDF: 90; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a PDF: 59; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b PDF: 283 (in key); Le Moli & Rosi, 1991: 34; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 214; Bolton, 1995b: 128; Douwes, 1995: 92; Poldi et al., 1995: 7; Cagniant, 1996b: 92; Radchenko, 1996e: 1202 (in key); Espadaler, 1997g PDF: 27; Radchenko, 1997b PDF: 558; Collingwood & Prince, 1998: 24 (in key); Gallé et al., 1998: 216; Czechowski et al., 2002 PDF: 97; Karaman & Karaman, 2003 PDF: 48; Csosz & Markó, 2005 PDF: 228; Karaman & Karaman, 2005 PDF: 59; Bračko, 2006 PDF: 146; Cagniant, 2006 PDF: 194; Markó et al., 2006 PDF: 67; Bračko, 2007 PDF: 19; Seifert, 2007: 264; Werner & Wiezik, 2007 PDF: 143; Zryanin & Zryanina, 2007 PDF: 233; Gratiashvili & Barjadze, 2008 PDF: 131; Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009 PDF: 480; Lapeva-Gjonova et al., 2010 PDF: 46; Boer, 2010: 19; Csosz et al., 2011 PDF: 58; Karaman, 2011b PDF: 74; Legakis, 2011 PDF: 33; Ran & Zhou, 2011: 70; Borowiec & Salata, 2012 PDF: 483; Czechowski et al., 2012: 245; Guénard & Dunn, 2012 PDF: 30; Kiran & Karaman, 2012 PDF: 8; Karaman & Aktaç, 2013 PDF: 51 (in key); Borowiec, 2014 PDF: 45 (see note in bibliography); Bračko et al., 2014 PDF: 18; Lebas et al., 2016: 130; Radchenko, 2016: 331; Salata & Borowiec, 2018c 10.5281/zenodo.2199191 PDF: 43; Seifert, 2018: 259.Senior synonym of Camponotus fuscoptera: Forel, 1892j PDF: 306; Emery, 1896j PDF: 372 (in list); Forel, 1915d: 68 (in key); Emery, 1925d PDF: 74; Karavaiev, 1936: 183; Kutter, 1977c: 205; Bolton, 1995b: 128; Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009 PDF: 480; Radchenko, 2016: 331.Senior synonym of Camponotus vagus kodorica: Radchenko, 1997b PDF: 558; Radchenko, 2016: 331.Junior synonym of Camponotus pubescens: Olivier, 1792: 492; Latreille, 1802a PDF: 96; Fabricius, 1804 PDF: 399; Stephens, 1829b: 356; Nylander, 1846a PDF: 899; Mayr, 1855 PDF: 310; Smith, 1858a PDF: 11; Roger, 1863b PDF: 1; André, 1874c: 201 (in list); Forel, 1874 PDF: 96 (in list) ; Forel, 1879a PDF: 56 (error).[Note: all the authors above give Camponotus pubescens: as senior synonym, but Camponotus vagus has priority.].Senior synonym of Camponotus pubescens: Emery, 1891c: 20; Forel, 1892j PDF: 306; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 255; Emery, 1896j PDF: 372 (in list); Ruzsky, 1905b: 241; Forel, 1907h PDF: 15; Bondroit, 1910 PDF: 488; Forel, 1915d: 68 (in key); Emery, 1916a PDF: 225; Soudek, 1922b PDF: 94; Emery, 1925d PDF: 74; Lomnicki, 1928 PDF: 10; Karavaiev, 1936: 183; Pisarski, 1961 PDF: 161; Bernard, 1967a PDF: 341; Baroni Urbani, 1971c PDF: 179; Pisarski, 1975: 30; Bolton, 1995b: 128; Radchenko, 1997b PDF: 558; Gallé et al., 1998: 216; Czechowski et al., 2002 PDF: 97; Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009 PDF: 480; Csosz et al., 2011 PDF: 58; Czechowski et al., 2012: 245; Radchenko, 2016: 331.Records
(Map 62): Bulgaria ( Agosti and Collingwood 1987a , Atanassov and Dlusskij 1992 ); Central Predbalkan: Dermantsi vill. (Lukovit) ( Atanassov 1934 ); Western Stara Planina Mts: Ogoya vill. ( Atanassov 1934 ), Ledenika cave (Vratsa Balkan) ( Atanassov 1936 ); Central Stara Planina Mts: Kostinya river valley (Teteven) ( Atanassov 1936 ); Zemen Gorge: Zemen ( Atanassov 1934 ); Sofia Basin: Sofia ( Atanassov 1936 , Lapeva-Gjonova and Atanasova 2004 , Antonova 2005 , Antonova and Penev 2006 , 2008 ), the surroundings of Sofia ( Antonova and Penev 2006 ); Lyulin Mt. ( Atanassov 1934 ); Vitosha Mt. ( Atanassov 1936 , 1952 ); Plana Mt.: Bukov dol loc. (Pasarel vill.), Pasarel vill. (Vagalinski and Lapeva-Gjonova in press ); Podbalkan Basins: Rose valley ( Atanassov et al. 1955 ); Ihtimanska Sredna Gora Mts: Benkovski peak ( Atanassov 1934 ); Lozenska Planina Mt. ( Vassilev and Evtimov 1973 ); Thracian Lowland: Krichim ( Atanassov 1936 ); Strandzha Mt.: Papia peak ( Atanassov 1934 ), Malko Tarnovo ( Atanassov 1936 ); Osogovska Planina Mt.: Hisarlaka (Kyustendil) ( Atanassov 1936 ); Belasitsa Mt. ( Atanassov 1964 ); Krupnik-Sandanski-Petrich Valley: along Strumeshnitsa river, around Parvomay vill. ( Atanassov 1964 ); Slavianka Mt. ( Atanassov 1936 ); Western Rhodopi Mts: Dospat, Batak ( Lapeva-Gjonova in press (a) ); Eastern Rhodopi Mts: Madzharovo ( Lapeva-Gjonova 2004a ); Northern Black Sea coast: Evksinograd palace ( Atanassov 1936 ); Southern Black Sea coast: Veselie vill. ( Forel 1892 ).
Caucase septentrional, Region de Kuban, Stat. Armavir, 1 [[ queen ]], VII. 1894 (Grum-Grzimajlo!).
Camponotus vagus is a species of large, black, Palaearctic carpenter ant with a wide range that includes much of Europe, a large area of Asia, and part of Africa.[1][2]
Camponotus vagus is a relatively distinctive species that is easily identified by its large size, uniform black colour, and the long and dense body "hairs" on its exoskeleton. A eusocial insect, individuals have continuous allometric variation in size and morphology to facilitate task allocation and partitioning of work. Workers are 6–12 mm in length.[1] The larger "major workers" act as guards for in defence of the colony and protect the smaller "minor workers" when the latter go foraging outside the nests. The powerful mandibles of the major workers are capable of decapitating smaller arthropods captured as food and dismembering smaller ants of other species.[3]
C. vagus is known to be both carnivorous and aphidicolous (living in a mutualistic relationship with aphids and feeding upon the honeydew these smaller insects release from the terminations of their alimentary canals).[1][4]
This species is especially prevalent in central Europe but has an overall range from southern Scandinavia to north-western Africa and from Portugal to Altai, Mongolia.[1][5] Evidence of this species in northern Europe is scattered and isolated; Southwards it is more common. In Norway, an extreme area of its range, is a rare and often overlooked species. There are few records of C. vagus in Sweden and Finland, and many of these are outdated.[1]
The colonies are commonly found in dry habitats, especially open forests and forest edges.[1] C. vagus most typically builds its nests in dead wood, but colonies can also be founded under stones.[1][2] An average colony has 1,000 to 4,000 workers, but larger colonies contain up to 10,000 individuals.[1]
C. vagus, like all ants in genus Camponotus, may be referred to by the English language common name "carpenter ant" but it is known by other names across its range.[1] In the Netherlands, for example, this species is known in Dutch as zwarte reuzenmier, i.e. "black giant ant."[5]
In 2008, the Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) was reported for the first time in this species and another species of ant, Formica rufa. CPPV affects bees, ants, and mites.[6]
vagus. Formica vaga Scopoli, 1763: 312 (w.) AUSTRIA. Latreille, 1802c: 96 (w.q.m.). Hauschteck, 1961: 221 (k.). Combination in Camponotus: Roger, 1863b: 1; in C. (Camponotus): Forel, 1914a: 266. [Misspelled as vagans: Emery, 1891b: 20.] Subspecies of herculeanus: Emery, 1896d: 372; Emery, 1908a: 185; Bondroit, 1910: 488. Revived status as species: Ruzsky, 1905b: 241; Forel, 1915d: 68; Emery, 1916b: 225; Emery, 1920b: 255; Finzi, 1924a: 14; Karavaiev, 1927c: 275; Finzi, 1930d: 317; Santschi, 1931a: 11; Stitz, 1939: 246. See also: Yasumatsu & Brown, 1951: 31; Arnol'di & Dlussky, 1978: 551; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 214. Senior synonym of pubescens: Olivier, 1792: 492; Emery, 1891b: 20; Forel, 1892i: 306; of fuscoptera: Latreille, 1802c: 96; of kodorica: Radchenko, 1997a: 558. Current subspecies: nominal plus ifranensis.[5]
As just noted, Camponotus vagus ifranensis (Cagniant, 1987) is recognized as a subspecies. Previously identified subspecies Camponotus vagus kodoricus (Forel, 1913) and Camponotus vagus vagus (Scopoli, 1763) are no longer recognized.[5][7]
Camponotus vagus is a species of large, black, Palaearctic carpenter ant with a wide range that includes much of Europe, a large area of Asia, and part of Africa.
