Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Ants (Formicoidea) » Ants (Formicidae) » Formicinae » Camponotini » Carpenter Ants (Camponotus) » Subgenus Camponotus (Camponotus Subgenus Camponotus) » Camponotus laevissimus

Species Camponotus laevissimus

Camponotus laevigatus - Camponotus laevissimus - female

Formicidae - Camponotus laevissimus - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon (Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps)

Superfamily Formicoidea (Ants)

Family Formicidae (Ants)

Subfamily Formicinae

Tribe Camponotini

Genus Camponotus (Carpenter Ants)

No Taxon (Subgenus Camponotus)

Species laevissimus (Camponotus laevissimus)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

FORMERLY Camponotus laevigatus

Camponotus laevissimus Mackay, 2019

This page is for the shiny black carpenter ant widespread in the western US, distinct from the California oak nesting species. In 2019-2021, it was discovered that the types of laevigatus instead belonged to the former quercicola, prompting the name change.

Range

Western US, in high elevations.

Remarks

An atypically shiny, black carpenter ant, common in western mountains. (comment by James C. Trager)

Print References

1. New World Carpenter Ants of the Hyperdiverse Genus Camponotus.Volume 1, Mackay 2019

2. Grappling with homoplasy: taxonomic refinements

and reassignments in the ant genera Camponotus and

Colobopsis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Ward & Boudinot 2021

Contributed by Charley Eiseman on 12 March, 2010 - 7:47pm
Additional contributions by Steven Wang, Oliver.Yung
Last updated 9 May, 2025 - 10:53am

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