Colobopsis

Colobopsis is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae that was long treated as a subgenus of Camponotus before being recognized as a distinct genus in the 2010s. It belongs to the tribe Camponotini and includes several dozen described species distributed in tropical and subtropical regions.

Species in the genus are predominantly arboreal, nesting in hollow stems, branches, and other cavities in trees. They are often found in forest canopies and are frequently associated with other sap-sucking insects, such as aphids and scale insects, from which they harvest honeydew. Colobopsis ants generally feed on a mix of plant secretions, small invertebrates, and scavenged material.

Biology and behavior are diverse across species, but Colobopsis ants are typically eusocial, forming colonies with a single or multiple queens and a workforce of workers. Like many Formicinae ants, they produce formic acid as a chemical defense, though several species are noted for distinctive defensive strategies. Notably, some Colobopsis species exhibit autothysis, a self-sacrificial defense in which workers rupture a portion of their gasters to release sticky or toxic substances to deter threats. Colobopsis explodens, a well-known representative, gained attention for this dramatic defensive behavior observed in its colonies.

Taxonomic work continues to refine species boundaries and relationships within Colobopsis and between Colobopsis and related genera in Camponotini. The genus is of interest to researchers studying ant biodiversity, behavioral ecology, and tropical forest ecosystems.