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Crematogaster bonnieae
| Crematogaster bonnieae | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
| Genus: | Crematogaster |
| Species: | C. bonnieae |
| Binomial name | |
| Crematogaster bonnieae Akbar, Bharti & Wachkoo, 2023
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Type locality, Upper Manalar, part of Periyar Tiger Reserve, India, is one of the border regions between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It includes about 49 km2 of protected forest area, forming a fascinating green hill landscape. One side of the hill is covered by completely intact forest, while commercial tea gardens of Tamil Nadu are on its other side. Several rare ant species have been previously reported from the region (Bharti & Akbar 2013, 2014a, 2014b, Dad et al. 2019). The specimens were collected from a tree branch while moving downward. The occurrence of foraging individuals was low and this species seems uncommon in the Western Ghats, since it was not encountered again from any other locality.
Photo Gallery
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Identification
The new species differs from its congeners by the following combination of characters:
- relatively large eyes (OI = 0.28–0.29)
- long antennal scapes (0.86–0.87 mm), surpassing posterior head margin
- propodeal spines reduced, tuberculate
- 11-segmented antennae, and 3-segmented club
Among the known Indian species, Crematogaster bonnieae appears distinct with its reduced propodeal spines, 11-segmented antennae and the relatively larger eyes (OI = 0.28–0.29). It is similar to African Crematogaster sewellii, but differs from it in having straight posterior margin of head; propodeal spines tuberculate; basal level portion of metanotum longitudinally striate; petiole broadly oval, dorsolaterally angulate, dorsoposterior tubercules present and postpetiole bilobed, merely impressed posteriorly (C. sewellii has posterior margin of head weakly concave; propodeal spines mainly absent; basal level portion of metanotum smooth; petiole weakly flared, dorsolaterally rounded, without posterolateral tubercules; postpetiole bilobed with a broad median impression). The invasive Crematogaster subdentata, also appears to resemble C. bonnieae in having reduced propodeal spines and similar body colouration but it can be easily separated from C. subdentata by abundant body hairs, flared petiole, pointed subpetiolar process and raised propodeum.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India (type locality).
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. |
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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. |
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Habitat
Biology
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- bonnieae. Crematogaster (Crematogaster)bonnieae Akbar, Bharti & Wachkoo, 2023: 10, fig. 1 (w.) INDIA (Kerala).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 2 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype India: Kerala, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Manalar, 9°35’N, 77°18’E, 1630 m., 24.x.2011 (S.A. Akbar); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depository: PUAC.
- Distribution: India.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
(n = 3) HW = 0.66–0.68 (0.67), HL = 0.68–0.70 (0.70), EL = 0.20–0.21 (0.20), SL = 0.58–0.59 (0.58), WL = 0.75–0.78 (0.76), SPL = 0.03–0.04 (0.04), PTH = 0.15–0.16 (0.16), PTL = 0.19–0.20 (0.20), PTW = 0.24–0.25 (0.24), PPL = 0.12–0.13 (0.13), PPW = 0.20–0.21 (0.21), LHT = 0.57–0.60 (0.59), CI = 0.96–0.97 (0.96), OI = 0.28–0.29 (0.29), SI = 0.86–0.87 (0.87), SPI = 0.04–0.05 (0.05), PTHI = 0.79–0.80 (0.80), PTWI = 1.20–1.26 (1.20), PPI = 1.61–1.66 (1.62), LBI = 1.29–1.31 (1.29).
Small sized species (HW = 0.66–0.68 mm, WL = 0.75–0.78 mm); head almost as long as broad, sides converging anteriorly and posteriorly (CI = 0.97), rounded, posterior margins straight, occipital carina reduced with weakly defined ridge; antennae 11-segmented, in full-face view antennal scape when laid back surpasses posterior margin of head; masticatory margin of mandibles with four teeth; anterior clypeal margin straight to slightly concave; eyes relatively large (OI = 0.28–0.29), protruding, located above the mid-length of head in full-face view with ca. 20 ommatidia in the longest row.
In lateral view, pronotum, angular; promesonotum demarcated, promesonotal suture distinct, pronotum raised, mesonotum dome shaped and moderately convex; in dorsal view, promesonotum dome shaped with median mesonotal carina present; metanotal groove well developed; propodeal dorsum flat, short; propodeal declivity truncate, propodeal spines reduced, tuberculate; propodeal spiracle distinct, circular; petiole in lateral view distinctly longer than high (PTHI = 0.79–0.80, PTWI = 1.20–1.26); in dorsal view slightly broader anteriorly than posteriorly; angulate, dorsoposterior tubercules feebly marked; subpetiolar process absent; postpetiole node bilobed, merely impressed in dorsal view; slightly higher than petiole in lateral view; subpetiolar process absent.
Cephalic surface with fine pale hairs scattered throughout; anterior clypeal margin and mandibles with several long setae; posterior half of clypeus without setae; antennae and legs with abundant pubescence, mostly appressed with several erect setae also present; mesosoma dorsally with several long setae, small and several long setae also present on propodeum, declivity smooth and shiny; petiole with dorsoposterior erect setae, postpetiole with few pairs of posteriorly directed setae, in addition to appressed pubescence; gaster with abundant short erect setae, and regular appressed to decumbent pubescence.
Cephalic surface mostly smooth with few striations present near antennal fossae and gena; clypeal surface smooth; mandibles longitudinally striate; mesometanotum, propodeum laterally, and pronotum dorsally longitudinally striate, emarginate along the margins; propodeal declivity smooth; petiole and postpetiole imbricate; gastral tergites faintly imbricate.
Head and mesosoma brownish orange, gaster dark brown.
Type Material
- Holotype: worker (PUAC0015). India. Kerala, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Manalar, 9°35´N, 77°18´E, 1630 m a.s.l., 24 October 2011, hand collected, leg. Shahid A. Akbar.
- Paratypes: 2 workers (PUAC0016, PUAC0017), same data as holotype.
Etymology
The specific epithet is a Latinized noun in genitive, derived from the first name of Bonnie B. Blaimer in honour of her significant contributions to studies of thegenus. The word ‘bonnie’ is also coincidentally a Scots English dialect word meaning ‘pretty’ or ‘beautiful’, which seems appropriate in respect of the new specie.