Crematogaster ampla

Crematogaster ampla
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Crematogaster
Species:	C. ampla
Binomial name
Crematogaster ampla Forel, 1912 Specimen labels

In somes areas of Brazil C. ampla is parasitized by the xenobiont Cephalotes specularis, which is able to find and exploit foraging trails of C. ampla.

Photo Gallery

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  The stereotyped, raised body posture of a foraging Crematogaster ampla worker; B. the same raised body posture seen in a foraging worker of the turtle ant Cephalotes specularis when running in C. ampla foraging trails. Photo by Scott Powell in Powell et al. 2018. Figure 1. A).

Identification

Longino (2003) - A Crematogaster crinosa-complex species. Crematogaster ampla has a distinctive character that distinguishes it from all other Crematogaster. The fourth abdominal tergite has a subtriangular impression posterior to the postpetiolar insertion. This impression is completely smooth and shining, contrasting with the surrounding granular microsculpture. On some small workers the fourth abdominal tergite is completely smooth and shining, but the triangular impression is still distinct. In all other Crematogaster there may be an impression anterior to the postpetiole, but not posterior to it. Other characters are similar to crinosa, including a long, acute, anteroventral petiolar tooth, abundant setae on the fourth abdominal tergite, dorsal and posterior faces of propodeum meeting at an angle, and a strongly arched promesonotum. Unlike other crinosa complex species, the scapes and tibiae sometimes have one or two erect setae, especially on large workers.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 11.242° to -24.571944°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia (type locality), Mexico, Panama, Paraguay.

Distribution based on AntMaps

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.

Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.

Biology

Koch et al. (2018) sampled this species in Caryocar barsiliense trees, in southeastern Brazil cerrado, as part of a study examining species interactions in ant-plants.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• ampla. Crematogaster brevispinosa var. ampla Forel, 1912f: 211 (w.) COLOMBIA.
  • Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Longino, 2003a: 128), paralectotype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-locality: lectotype Colombia: Santa Cruz, nr Santa Marta (A. Forel); paralectotype workers with same data.
  • [Note: other original syntype localities: Colombia: Santa Marta (A. Forel), Colombia: Barranquilla (A. Forel).]
  • Type-depository: MHNG.
  • Combination in C. (Orthocrema): Emery, 1922e: 134.
  • Subspecies of brevispinosa: Emery, 1922e: 134; Borgmeier, 1927c: 92; Wheeler, W.M. 1942: 194; Kempf, 1972a: 85; Bolton, 1995b: 147.
  • Status as species: Longino, 2003a: 128; Wild, 2007b: 32; Pedraza & Fernández, 2019: 895.
  • Distribution: Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Type Material

Longino (2003) - Syntype workers: Colombia, Magdalena, Santa Cruz near Santa Marta (Forel) Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève (examined, worker here designated LECTOTYPE).

The syntypes at MHNG were a combination of Crematogaster ampla and Crematogaster crinosa, necessitating designation of a lectotype.

References

• Adams, R.M.M., Wells, R.L., Yanoviak, S.P., Frost, C.J., Fox, E.G.P. 2020. Interspecific Eavesdropping on Ant Chemical Communication. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 8. (doi:10.3389/fevo.2020.00024).
• de la Mora, A., Sankovitz, M., Purcell, J. 2020. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as host and intruder: recent advances and future directions in the study of exploitative strategies. Myrmecological News 30: 53-71 (doi:10.25849/MYRMECOL.NEWS_030:053).
• Emery, C. 1922c. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Myrmicinae. [part]. Genera Insectorum 174B: 95-206 (page 134, Combination in C. (Orthocrema))
• Forel, A. 1912g. Formicides néotropiques. Part III. 3me sous-famille Myrmicinae (suite). Genres Cremastogaster et Pheidole. Mém. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 19: 211-237 (page 211, worker described)
• Koch, E. B. A., W. Dattilo, F. Camarota, and H. L. Vasconcelos. 2018. From species to individuals: does the variation in ant-plant networks scale result in structural and functional changes? Population Ecology. 60:309-318. doi:10.1007/s10144-018-0634-5
• Longino, J.T. 2003a. The Crematogaster of Costa Rica. Zootaxa 151: 1-150. (page 128, Raised to species: new status)
• Powell, S., Del-Claro, K., Feitosa, R.M. & Brandao, C.R.F. 2014. Mimicry and eavesdropping enable a new form of social parasitism in ants. American Naturalist 184, 500-509. doi:10.1086/677927
• Ulysséa, M.A., Brandão, C.R.F. 2013. Ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the seasonally dry tropical forest of northeastern Brazil: a compilation from field surveys in Bahia and literature records. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 57, 217–224 (doi:10.1590/s0085-56262013005000002).
• Varela-Hernández, F., Medel-Zosayas, B., Martínez-Luque, E.O., Jones, R.W., De la Mora, A. 2020. Biodiversity in central Mexico: Assessment of ants in a convergent region. Southwestern Entomologist 454: 673-686.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Armbrecht I., I. Tischer, and P. Chacon. 2001. Nested subsets and partition patterns in ant assemblages (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Colombian dry forest fragments. Pan-Pacific Entomologist 77(3): 196-209.
• Chacon de Ulloa P., A. M. Osorio-Garica, R. Achury, and C. Bermudez-Rivas. 2012. Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) del Bosque seco tropical (Bs-T) de la cuenca alta del rio Cauca, Colombia. Biota Colombiana 13(2): 165-181.
• Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
• Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
• Longino, J.T. 2003. The Crematogaster (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) of Costa Rica. Zootaxa 151:1-150
• Ulyssea M. A., and C. R. F. Brandao. 2013. Ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the seasonally dry tropical forest of northeastern Brazil: a compilation from field surveys in Bahia and literature records. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 57(2): 217–224.
• Ulysséa M. A., C. R. F. Brandão. 2013. Ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the seasonally dry tropical forest of northeastern Brazil: a compilation from field surveys in Bahia and literature records. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 57(2): 217-224.
• Vasquez-Bolanos M. 2011. Checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Mexico. Dugesiana 18(1): 95-133.
• Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
• Wheeler W. M. 1942. Studies of Neotropical ant-plants and their ants. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 90: 1-262.