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The black-headed sugar ant (''Camponotus nigriceps''), also known as the brown sugar ant, is a species of Formicinae ant endemic to Australia. Found throughout most states, the species is a member of the genus ''Camponotus'', a cosmopolitan genus of ants commonly known as carpenter ants. It was formally described and named by British entomologist Frederick Smith in 1858. These ants are characterised by their black head, reddish-brown mesosoma and black gaster, which can change in colour. The species is polymorphic: workers and soldiers measure and males are . The queens are the largest members of the colony, measuring . Colonies dwell in dry regions, including open areas or in dry sclerophyll woodland, where they nest in soil, large mounds or under stones. Nuptial flight occurs in summer and nests can hold several thousand individuals. Considered a household pest, black-headed sugar ants feed on sweet foods and insects and tend to butterfly larvae. Numerous birds and fish prey on these ants. ==Taxonomy== The black-headed sugar ant was described from a holotype worker by British entomologist Frederick Smith in his 1858 publication ''Catalogue of the hymenopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Part VI. Formicidae'', and was originally placed in the genus ''Formica''. Some years later, the species was assigned to the genus ''Camponotus'' by German entomologist Julius Roger. The specific name, ''nigriceps'', is a combination of ''nigri'', which derives from the Latin word ''nigra'', meaning "black", and ''ceps'', which is derived from the Greek word ''cephalē'', meaning "head". This references the distinctive black head of the ant. In 1887, Italian entomologist Carlo Emery described a subspecies, ''Camponotus nigriceps lividipes'', based on collections of smaller ants. In 1933, William Morton Wheeler classified the black-headed sugar ant as a subspecies of the banded sugar ant (''Camponotus consobrinus''), but it was later revived as a full species in 1934. The ant is a member of the ''Camponotus nigriceps'' species group, which also includes ''C. clarior'', ''C. consobrinus'', ''C. dryandrae'', ''C. eastwoodi'', ''C. loweryi'', ''C. longideclivis'', ''C. pallidiceps'' and ''C. prostans''.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Black-headed sugar ant」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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