Crematogaster

Blaimer, Bonnie B., 2012, A subgeneric revision of Crematogaster and discussion of regional species-groups (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 3482, pp. 47-67 : 57

ii. Crematogaster castanea- group

1. Petiole usually broadly ( Fig. 15 a) or moderately flared ( Fig. 14 a) and distinctly wider than long, rarely reduced to a suboval form ( Figs 18 a–19a).

2. Postpetiole distinctly and broadly bilobed, usually with deep and broad median impression. 3. Head usually broad, often wider than long, with straight ( Fig. 28 ) or medially depressed posterior margin ( Fig. 29 ) and subangular corners.

This group includes members of the subgenus Crematogaster (as defined prior to this study) from Africa and Madagascar. At the moment the following described species are assigned to this group: C. degeeri Forel , C. sewellii Forel , C. dentata Dalla Torre , C. lunaris Santschi , C. lobata Emery , C. castanea Smith , C. rufigena Arnold , C. latuka Weber , C. excisa Mayr , C. flaviventris Santschi and C. gerstaeckeri Dalla Torre. A number of yet undescribed species from Madagascar also belong in this grouping. Note that the Malagasy clade within this group is elsewhere (Blaimer, in press) further defined as the C. degeeri-sewellii -group, in order to highlight the endemism of this latter grouping to the Malagasy region.

Figures

FIGURES 12 – 19. 12: posterior head margin rounded [Crematogaster (Orthocrema) rasoherinae, CASENT 0193412]; 13: posterior head margin with subangular corners [C. (Orthocrema) volamena, CASENT 0012744]; 14 a: petiole moderately flared, b: postpetiole weakly bilobed (dorsal view) [C. (Crematogaster) pilosa, CASENT 0193165]; 15 a: petiole broadly flared, b: postpetiole weakly bilobed (dorsal view) [C. (Crematogaster) lobata, CASENT 0193045]; 16 a: petiole sharply flared, b: postpetiole distintly bilobed with broad median impression (dorsal view) [C. (Crematogaster) flava, CASENT 0193691]; 17 a: petiole greatly flared, b: postpetiole distintly bilobed (dorsal view) [C. (Crematogaster) dahlii, CASENT 0193602]; 18 a: petiole oval, b: postpetiole weakly bilobed and with faint median impression (dorsal view) [C. (Crematogaster) cf. mjobergi, CASENT 0193799]; 19 a: petiole suboval, b: postpetiole distintly bilobed (dorsal view) [C. (Crematogaster) ranavalonae, CASENT 0193425].

FIGURES 28 – 35. 28: posterior head margin straight (Crematogaster (Crematogaster) ss 07 [= bbb 38], CASENT 0141219); 29: posterior head margin medially depressed (C. (Crematogaster) madagascariensis, CASENT 0127516); 30: pronotum with tuberculate lateral margins [C. (Crematogaster) cf. luctans, CASENT 0193747]; 31: mesonotum postero-laterally denticulate [C. (Crematogaster) cf. luctans, CASENT 0193747]; 32 a: mesonotum postero-laterally angulate, b: mesonotum with distinct dorsal face [C. (Crematogaster) madagascariensis, CASENT 0193580]; 33 a: pronotum with acute margins, b: mesonotum convex and postero-laterally margined [C. (Crematogaster) flava, CASENT 0193691]; 34: pronotum laterally rounded [C. (Crematogaster) irritabilis, CASENT 0193598]; 35: mesonotum in lateral view rounded and without distinct posterior face [C. (Crematogaster) irritabilis, CASENT 0193598].