Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Study on the Diversity and Distribution of Genus Camponotus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Kerala: Ecologically Significant Agents in Ecosystem Functioning

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Sub-tropics

Abstract

Ants are diverse, abundant, important, widespread and the most successful of all insect groups in tropical and temperate ecosystems. The genus Camponotus belongs to the subfamily Formicinae with 1087 extant species in the world. In India the genus Camponotus is represented by 59 species (without subspecies, total 62) (Bharti, Halteres 3:79–87, 2011). The present study was carried out in Kerala to study the diversity and distribution of Camponotus. Field survey and sampling of specimens were carried out. Of all the sites surveyed, Camponotus compressus (Fabricius), Camponotus parius Emery, Camponotus mitis (Smith) and Camponotus sericeus (Fabricius) were widespread. Calicut district recorded the maximum diversity containing 18 species. Review on distribution and diversity of Camponotus Mayr in India is also provided.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Akre RD, Hansen LD (1990) Management of carpenter ants. Appl Myrmecol 693–700

    Google Scholar 

  • Alonso LE (2000) Ants as indicators of diversity. In: Agosti D, Majer JD, Alonso LE, Schultz TR (eds) Ants: standard methods for measuring and monitoring biodiversity. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, pp 80–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Alonso LE, Agosti D (2000) Biodiversity studies, monitoring, and ants: an overview. In: Agosti D, Majer JD, Alonso LE, Schultz TR (eds) Ants: standard methods for measuring and monitoring biodiversity. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, pp 1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Alonso LE, Kaspari M, Agosti D (2000) Ants as indicator of diversity and using ants to monitor environmental change. In: Agosti D, Alonso LE, Majer JD, Schultz TR (eds) Ant: standard method for measuring and monitoring biodiversity. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, pp 80–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Bestelmeyer BT (2000) The trade-off between thermal tolerance and behavioural dominance in a subtropical South American ant community. J Anim Ecol 69:998–1009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bestelmeyer BT, Wiens JA (2001) Local and regional scale responses of ant diversity to a semiarid biome transition. Ecography 2:381–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bharti H (2011) List of Indian ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Halteres 3:79–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Bingham CT (1903) The fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma. Hymenoptera. Ants and Cuckoo Wasps. Taylor and Francis, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolton B (1994) Identification guide to the ant genera of the world. Harvard University Press, London, p 222

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolton B (1995) A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, p 504

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolton B (2003) Synopsis and classification of Formicidae. Mem Am Entomol Inst 71:1–370

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolton B (2012) An online catalogue of the ants of the world. Ant Cat. http://www.antcat.org/

  • Brian MV (1978) Production ecology of ants and termites, vol 13, IBP. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Chavhan A, Pawar SS (2011) Distribution and diversity of ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in and around Amravati City of Maharashtra, India. World J Zool 6(4):395–400

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark WH, Blom PE (1991) Observations of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae, Formicinae, Dolichoderinae) utilizing carrion. South-West Nat 36:140–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Del-Claro K, Oliveira PS (2000) Conditional outcomes in a neotropical ant-homoptera mutualistic association. Oecologia 124:156–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donisthorpe H (1933) Descriptions of new species of Formicidae and a synonomical note. Ann Mag Hist 10(11):194–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Douwes P‚ Johan A, Björn C, Urban W (2012) National nyckeln till Sveriges flora og fauna. Steklar: myror – getingar, Hymenoptera: Formicidae – Vespidae Art Databanken. SLU, Uppsala, pp 1–382

    Google Scholar 

  • Farji-Brener AG, Ruggiero A (1994) Leaf-cutting ants (Atta and Acromyrmex) inhabiting Argentina: patterns in species richness and geographical range sizes. J Biogeogr 21:391–399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fittkau EJ, Klinger H (1973) On biomass and trophic structure of the central Amazonian rain forest ecosystem. Biotropica 5:2–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Folgarait PJ (1998) Ant biodiversity and its relationship to ecosystem functioning: a review. Biodivers Conserv 7:1221–1244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forel AH (1910) Glanures myrmeologiques. Ann Soc Entomol Belg 54:6–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Forel AH (1912a) Sauter’s Formosa- Ausbeute Formicidae. Entomol Mitt Berlin 1(3):67–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Forel AH (1912b) Einiqe neue und interassante Ameisen aus Sumatra. Zool Jahr Suppl 15:62–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Forel AH (1914) Le genre Camponotus Mayr et les genres voisins. Rev Suisse Zool 22:257–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler HG (1990) Carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.): pest status and human perception. Appl Myrmecol 525–532

    Google Scholar 

  • Fowler HG, Claver (1991) Leaf-cutter ant assemblies: effects of latitude, vegetation, and behavior. In: Huxley CR, Cutler DF (eds) Ant-plant interactions. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 51–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen LD, Klotz JH (2005) Carpenter ants of the United States and Canada, pp 1–204

    Google Scholar 

  • Hölldobler B, Wilson EO (1990) The ants. Springer, Berlin, pp 1–732

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Hölldobler B, Wilson EO (1994) Journey to the ants. The Belknap Press of the Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, p 228

    Google Scholar 

  • IUCN (2008) Red list of threatened species. http://www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 13 March

  • Jerdon (1951) Camponotus (Myrmepomis) velox. Chapman and Capeo, Monogr. Inst Sci Tech Manila (Check List Ants Asia), 1: 236

    Google Scholar 

  • Karmaly KA, Narendran TC (2006) Indian ants: genus Camponotus: Teresian. Teresian Carmel Publications, Kerala, p 165

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaspari M (1996a) Litter ant patchiness at 1 m2 scale; disturbance dynamics in three Neotropical forests. Oecologia 107:265–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaspari M (1996b) Testing resource-based models of patchiness in four Neotropical litter ant assemblages. Oikos 76:443–454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kusnezov N (1957) Number of species of ants in faunae of different latitudes. Evolution 11:298–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawton JH, Bifnel LDE, Bolton B, Blowmers GF, Eggleton P, Hammond PM, Hodda M, Holt RD, Larsen TB, Mawdsley NA, Stork NE, Srivastava DS, Watt AD (1998) Biodiversity inventories, indicator taxa and effects of habitat modification in tropical forest. Nature 391:72–76

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Majer JD (1983) Ants: bio-indicators of mine site rehabilitation, land-use, and land conservation. Environ Manag 7:375–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maryati M (1997) Ants: an indicator for the tropical rain forest. Manual for international plot course on environmental evaluation using insects as indicators of biodiversity: ant ecology, taxonomy collecting methods and identification 17 March–7 April 1997. Tropical Biology and Conservation Unit, Universiti Malaysia Sabah and International Institute of Entomology, Kota Kinabalu

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayr G (1862) Myrmecologische studien. Verh K-Kg Zool-Bot Ges Wein 12:649–776

    Google Scholar 

  • Modi K, Linsenmair KE (2003) Finding its place in a competitive ant community: leaf fidelity of Camponotus sericeus. Insect Soc 50:191–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noon-anant N, Watanasit S, Wiwatwitaya D (2005) Species diversity and abundance of ants in lowland tropical rain forest of Bala Forest, Narathiwat Province, Southern Peninsular Thailand. Nat Hist Bull Siam Soc 53:203–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira PS, Brandão CRF (1991) The ant community associated with extrafloral nectaries in the Brazilian cerrados. In: Cutler DF, Huxley CR (eds) Ant–plant interactions. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 198–212

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramesh T, Jahir HusainK, Satpathy KK, Selvanayagam M, Prasad MVR (2010) Diversity, Distribution and Species Composition of Ants. Fauna at Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) Campus Kalpakkam, South India. World J Zool 5(1):56–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Sadananda Naik B, Prabhu KM, Jyothi CS (2012) Anaphylaxis due to Indian Black Ant Bite [Camponotus compressus]. J Indian Soc Toxicol 8:43–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Samson DA, Rickart EA, Gonzales PC (1997) Ant diversity and abundance along an elevational gradient in the Philippines. Biotropica 29:349–363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santschi F (1928) Nouvelles fourmis de Chine et du Turkestan russe. Soc Entomol Belg Bull Ann 68:31–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Stitz H (1935) Schwedisch-Chineische Wissenschaftliche Expedition nach den nordwstlichen provinzen Chinas. 3 Formicidae. Ark Zool 27A(1):1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Stork NE (1987) Guild structure of arthropods from Bornean rainforest trees. Ecol Entomol 12:69–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stork NE (1991) The composition of the arthropod fauna of Bornean lowland rain forest trees. J Trop Ecol 7:161–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torgersen TR, Bull EL (1995) Down logs as habitat for forest-dwelling ants–the primary prey of pileated woodpeckers in Northeastern Orego. University press, Cornell

    Google Scholar 

  • Viehmeyer H (1922) Neue Ameisen. Arch Naturgesch 88:203–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Watanasit S (2003) Evaluation of sampling techniques for ants in rubber plantations. In: Proceedings of the 2nd ANeT Workshop and Watanasit, S., Sonthichai, S. and Noon-anant, N. Preliminary survey of ants at Tarutao National Park, Southern Thailand. Songklanakarin J Sci and Tech 25:115–122

    Google Scholar 

  • Watanasit S, Saewai J, Phlapplueng A (2007) Ants of the Klong U-Tapao, Southern Thailand. Asian Myrmecology 1:69–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler WM (1909) Ants of Formosa and the Philippines. Am Mus Nat Hist Bull 26:333–345

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler WM (1910) Ants: their structure, development and behavior. Columbia University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler WM (1921) Chinese ants. Bull Mus Com Zool Harv Univ 64:529–547

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler WM (1927a) Few ants from China and Formosa. Am Mus Novit 259:1–4

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler WM (1927b) Chinese ants collected by Professor S F Light and Professor N Gist Gee. Am Mus Novit 255:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler WM (1929) Some ants from China and Manchuria. Am Mus Novit 361:1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler WM (1930–1931) A list of known Chinese ants. Peking History Bull 5:1–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson EO (1958) Patchy distribution of ant species in New Guinea rain forests. Northwest Sci 65:26–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson EO (1976) Which are the most prevalent ant genera? Stud Entomol 19:187–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson EO, Taylor RW (1967) The ants of Polynesia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pac Insects Mon 14:109

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors extend their gratitude to the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, and the KSCSTE, Trivandrum. The authors are also thankful to Dr. T. C. Narendran for his moral support, encouragement and valuable suggestions throughout this work and also wish to thank Sr. Reethamma V A, Principal, St. Xavier’s College for Women, Aluva, and Johnson X Palackapillil, Principal, SH College, Thevara.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Presty John

    Present address: Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Kerala, 680 653, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, S.H College, Thevara, Cochin, Kerala, 682 013, India

    Presty John

  2. St. Xaviers College for Women, Aluva, Kerala, 683 101, India

    K. A. Karmaly

Authors
  1. Presty John
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. A. Karmaly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Presty John .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Entomology and Nematology, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

    Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy

  2. Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

    Shakunthala Sridhara

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

John, P., Karmaly, K.A. (2016). A Study on the Diversity and Distribution of Genus Camponotus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Kerala: Ecologically Significant Agents in Ecosystem Functioning. In: Chakravarthy, A., Sridhara, S. (eds) Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Sub-tropics. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1518-2_15

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation