Camponotus ligniperdus (Queen)

Scientific name: Camponotus ligniperdus

Taxonomic classification:

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Hymenoptera
• Family: Formicidae
• Genus: Camponotus
• Species: C. ligniperdus

Geographic distribution: The ant Camponotus ligniperdus is found in Europe, Asia, and North America.

Physical characteristics:

• Size: Workers measure from 6 to 13 mm in length, while queens measure from 14 to 16 mm in length.
• Color: Generally black, with lighter legs and antennae. Sometimes they have brown tones on their bodies.
• Large and powerful mandibles used for biting and cutting plant material.

Behavior:

• They are mainly herbivorous but also feed on small insects and other arthropods.
• Workers are polymorphic, meaning they can vary in size and function within the colony.
• They form relatively large colonies, which can contain up to several thousand workers.

Conservation status: The ant Camponotus ligniperdus is not present on any lists of endangered species.

Additional notes: The ant Camponotus ligniperdus is a common species in forests and wooded areas in Europe, Asia, and North America. These ants can play an important role in ecosystem ecology, contributing to seed dispersal, creating microhabitats, and regulating the population of herbivores and other arthropods. Additionally, it is known that some species of ants in the genus Camponotus establish symbiotic relationships with certain plants, providing them with protection against herbivores and pathogens in exchange for a food source.