CIBED - - Pacific Carpenter Ant

Camponotus chloroticus Pacific Carpenter Ant Leo Katimala^ ^PK

f.FORMICIDAE Ants sf.Formicinae

Camponotus chloroticus Pacific Carpenter Ant Leo Katimala^ ^PK

f.FORMICIDAE Ants sf.Formicinae

Cook Islands Status Summary

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Intl. NamesPacific Carpenter Ant ^EN

Local NamesLeo Katimala^^PK

Pacific NamesNo Content

Sci. NamesCamponotus chloroticus (accepted name) , Camponotus maculatus subsp. chlorotica, Camponotus irritans subsp. chloroticus, Camponotus irritans var. samoensis

High Tax. Eng.k.Animals, p.Arthropods, spc.Hexapods, c.Insects, spf.Wasps, f.Ants, sf.Green Tree-ants - Ant

High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.ARTHROPODA, sp.ATELOCERATA, spc.HEXAPODA, c.INSECTA, sc.PTERYGOTA, o.Hymenoptera, so.Apocrita, io.Aculeata, spf.Vespoidea, f.FORMICIDAE, sf.Formicinae

Natl. PresencePresent

Sth. PresenceRR^-MG^-AT^-MK^-MT^-AK^-PL^-MN^-TK^-

Nth. PresenceTN^-MH^-RK^-PK⁺⁺⁺NS?SW^-

VouchersPK¹⁹²⁴

Local OriginIntroduced; Recent; Naturalised

Global RangeRange: Micronesia, Solomons - Vanuatu - N.Cal. - Fiji - Tonga - Samoa - Cooks (Pukapuka only);

HabitatLand - Lowlands - Coastal, Domestic

ThreatenedNo Content

InvasivenessInvasive; Agriculture

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesNo Content

IdentificationC. chloroticus per Clouse et al. (2016). "Maximum size is 8 mm; reddish-yellow, dirtlike color; head darker and more red, abdomen more or less blackish in its rear."(Emery 1897) MAJOR: mesosoma light yellow, gaster same color as mesosoma or slighmore...tly darker, head color usually darker than mesosoma; head tapering, vertex usually slightly concave; standing hairs on inner hind femur and propleuron (front ventral thorax). MINOR mesosoma usually light yellow, gaster and head usually same color as mesosoma or slightly darker; head tapering, vertex convex; standing hairs on inner hind femur and propleuron (front ventral thorax).

Similar SpeciesCamponotus micronesicus has absence of standing hairs on promore...pleuron (vs present) and absence of standing hairs on inner hind femur (vs present).

Interest NoteNo Content

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Video: 0
Audio: 0
Documents: 0
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5AUz063For_Camp-chlo_

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Workers - Major (R) & Minor (L)

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Workers - Major (R) & Minor (L) (jpg)
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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Pacific Carpenter Ant ^EN [CIBED]

Notes: {C. chloroticus} is the most widespread species in the Pacific. There are other species in the western and Central Pacific but they each have a restricted distribution, such as two endemics in the Samoas, one endemic in Tonga and Fiji has several native species. However in each of these three areas {C. chloroticus} is much more commonly encountered than any other species. (per GBIF 2025-01 GMcC.)

Pacific Names

No Pacific Names

Local Names

Leo Katimala^^PK

National Name: Leo Katimala^ ^PK

Notes: This ant is well known in Pukapuka and "katimala" was coined at a meeting in 2004 to specifically refer to it. (G.McCormack)

Island	Status	Main name
National name	PK	Leo Katimala^
Rarotonga	-	A,nN
Mangaia	-	?P,?N
Ātiu	-	?P,?N
Ma‘uke	-	?P,?N
Miti‘āro	-	?P,?N
Aitutaki	-	?P,?N
Palmerston	-	?P,?N
Tongareva-write	-	?P,?N
Tongareva-speak	-	?P,?N
Manihiki	-	?P,?N
Rakahanga	-	?P,?N
Pukapuka	+++	Leo Katimala^
Nassau	nd	?P,?N

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

National Distribution & Vouchers

National Presence:

Present

Oceanic

N/A

islands: [ , {label: 'Rarotonga', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 404.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 222, labelTop: 404} , {label: 'Mangaia', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 427.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 274, labelTop: 426} , {label: 'Ātiu', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 372.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 382} , {label: 'Ma‘uke', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 374.5, left: 282.5, labelLeft: 284, labelTop: 385} , {label: 'Miti‘āro', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 358.5, left: 274.5, labelLeft: 283, labelTop: 351} , {label: 'Aitutaki', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 334.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 209, labelTop: 321} , {label: 'Palmerston', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 309.5, left: 112.5, labelLeft: 124, labelTop: 309} , {label: 'Manuae', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 346.5, left: 234.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 338} , {label: 'Takūtea', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 362.5, left: 254.5, labelLeft: 211, labelTop: 363} , {label: 'Tongareva', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 32.5, left: 260.5, labelLeft: 205, labelTop: 31} , {label: 'Manihiki', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 80.5, left: 175.5, labelLeft: 187, labelTop: 80} , {label: 'Rakahanga', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 63.5, left: 173.5, labelLeft: 186, labelTop: 63} , {label: 'Pukapuka', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 88.5, left: 33.5, labelLeft: 45, labelTop: 88} , {label: 'Nassau', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 108.5, left: 46.5, labelLeft: 59, labelTop: 108} , {label: 'Suwarrow', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 162.5, left: 115.5, labelLeft: 127, labelTop: 162} ] , legend: [{label: 'Not Assessed', top: 235, stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#ffffff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: 'Present', top: 250, stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Present', top: 265, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Absent', top: 280, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Absent', top: 295, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RWR', tris: '#c0c0c0', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Intercepted', top: 312, stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RDR', tris: '#000000', trif: '#000000'}, {label: 'Extirpated/Extinct', top: 331, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'RGR', tris: '#660000', trif: '#CC0000'} ]

Island	Status
Rarotonga	Absent
Mangaia	Absent
Ātiu	Absent
Ma‘uke	Absent
Miti‘āro	Absent
Aitutaki	Absent
Palmerston	Absent
Manuae	Absent
Takūtea	Absent
Tongareva	Absent
Manihiki	Absent
Rakahanga	Absent
Pukapuka	+++
Nassau	no data
Suwarrow	Absent

Note: S.Group - RR (c.1999); N.Group - PK (pre-1924)

Vouchers for:
Camponotus chloroticus

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga

Mangaia

Ātiu

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston

Manuae

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka _____ 1924 1csP specimen+photo 1924, specimens, Motu Kotawa, E.Bryan to BPBM, ID in Wilson & Taylor (1967) as Camponotus chloroticus. _____ 2004 1csP specimen+photo specimen+photo, 2004-03, Motu Uta on Wale from damaged tree trucks, G.McCormack with ID as Camponotus chloroticus.

Nassau

Suwarrow

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

no data available

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

no data available

Biosecurity

Medicinal

no data available

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.04.21 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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Vouchers for:
Camponotus chloroticus

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