Crematogaster madagascariensis

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Crematogaster madagascariensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Crematogaster
Species: C. madagascariensis
Binomial name
Crematogaster madagascariensis
André, 1887

Crematogaster madagascariensis casent0101409 profile 1.jpg

Crematogaster madagascariensis casent0101409 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Crematogaster madagascariensis is distributed primarily in mid-elevation to montane rainforest in the central highlands region of Madagascar. Curious exceptions are its presence at lower elevations in R.S. Manongarivo and P.N. Marojejy in the north, and in P.N. Mananara-Nord and Foret Ivohibe on the east coast. The type locality for this species is Tamatave on the east coast of Madagascar; however, the species has not been collected recently from this area. This suggests that this species could have been historically more common in lower elevation forests in Madagascar, but habitat destruction may have resulted in a more limited present-day distribution. Crematogaster madagascariensis occurs in sympatry with Crematogaster kelleri and Crematogaster hazolava. Very few colony collections of this species have been made and thus not much is known about its biology. We presume an arboreal lifestyle. (Blaimer and Fisher 2013)

Identification

A member of the Crematogaster kelleri group. Blaimer and Fisher (2013) - Within the C. kelleri-group, workers of C. madagascariensis can be distinguished from Crematogaster kelleri and Crematogaster tavaratra by the position of the propodeal spiracle, which is situated confluent with the base of the propodeal spines in C. madagascariensis, but below the spine base in the two latter species. From the two remaining species, workers are most easily separated by body size and coloration: C. madagascariensis workers are usually larger (HW 0.86–1.11, WL 0.92–1.16) than C. hazolava (HW 0.66–0.89, WL 0.70–0.97) and C. hafahafa (HW 0.68–0.72, WL 0.73–0.74) workers, are brown-colored (yellow in C. hafahafa and some C. hazolava populations) and lack the median postpetiolar stripe (of brown-colored Crematogaster hazolava workers)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -13.96167° to -24.569°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Malagasy Region: Madagascar (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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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Biology

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Crematogaster madagascariensis casent0101410 head 1.jpgCrematogaster madagascariensis casent0101410 profile 1.jpgCrematogaster madagascariensis casent0101410 profile 2.jpgCrematogaster madagascariensis casent0101410 dorsal 1.jpgCrematogaster madagascariensis casent0101410 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0101410. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MNHN, Paris, France.
Crematogaster madagascariensis casent0101866 head 1.jpgCrematogaster madagascariensis casent0101866 profile 1.jpgCrematogaster madagascariensis casent0101866 dorsal 1.jpgCrematogaster madagascariensis casent0101866 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0101866. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.
Crematogaster madagascariensis casent0102938 head 1.jpgCrematogaster madagascariensis casent0102938 profile 1.jpgCrematogaster madagascariensis casent0102938 dorsal 1.jpgCrematogaster madagascariensis casent0102938 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0102938. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

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

  • madagascariensis. Crematogaster madagascariensis André, 1887: 297 (w.q.m.) MADAGASCAR.
    • Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Blaimer & Fisher, 2013a: 15), 1 paralectotype queen, 1 paralectotype male.
    • Type-locality: lectotype Madagascar: Tamatave (Friedrichs); paralectotypes with same data.
    • Type-depository: MNHU.
    • [Note: Blaimer & Fisher, 2013a: 15,19, record no type-material in MNHN.]
    • Combination in C. (Crematogaster): Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1023;
    • combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 147;
    • combination in C. (Crematogaster): Bolton, 1995b: 166.
    • Status as species: André, 1889: 228 (footnote); Forel, 1891b: 191 (redescription); Forel, 1892l: 254; Dalla Torre, 1893: 83; Emery, 1922e: 147; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1023; Bolton, 1995b: 157; Blaimer & Fisher, 2013a: 15 (redescription).
    • Distribution: Madagascar.

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

Description

Worker

HW 0.86–1.11; HL 0.78–0.99; EL 0.15–0.23; SL 0.67–0.86; WL 0.92–1.16; SPL 0.08–0.18; PTH 0.15–0.22; PTL 0.22–0.31; PTW 0.24–0.37; PPL 0.15–0.20; PPW 0.22–0.30; LHT 0.68–0.97; CI 1.07–1.18; OI 0.18–0.27; SI 0.79–0.96; SPI 0.08–0.15; PTHI 0.56–0.83; PTWI 0.93–1.31; PPI1.33–1.71; LBI 1.04–1.50.

Small to large species (HW 0.86–1.11, WL 0.92–1.16), with characters of the C. kelleri-group, in addition to the following.

Masticatory margin of mandibles with four teeth; posterior margin of head in full face view laterally subangular, sometimes medially slightly depressed; midline of eyes situated slightly above midline of head in full face view.

Lateral borders of mesonotum angulate, and mesonotum with posterolateral angular tubercules; posterior face of mesonotum sloping more gently into metanotal groove; propodeal spines short (SPI 0.07–0.15), spiniform, straight or downcurved, moderately diverging in dorsal view; propodeal spiracle confluent with base of propodeal spines; median postpetiolar impression usually deep, clearly bisecting postpetiole into two lobes. Color light to dark brown.

Queen

HW 1.39, HL 1.26, EL 0.38, SL 0.82, MSNW 1.01, MSNL 1.26, WL 2.21, SPL 0.06, PTH 0.39, PTL 0.43, PTW 0.51, PPL 0.39, PPW 0.55, LHT n.a., CI 1.10, OI 0.30, SI 0.65, MSNI 0.80, SPI 0.03, PTHI 0.91, PTWI 1.18, PPI 1.40, LBI n.a.

Medium (HW 1.39, WL 2.21), with characters of the C. kelleri-group and the following refinements.

Masticatory margin of mandibles with five teeth; antennal scapes usually not reaching head margin (SI 0.65); eyes situated at midline of head in full face view.

Metanotum not projecting from below scutellum in lateral and dorsal view; propodeal spines short (SPI 0.06), dentiform.

Male

Small to medium body size (HW 0.53–0.59, WL 1.02–1.18), with characters of the C. kelleri-group and the following refinements.

Masticatory margin of mandibles with two teeth; antennae with second and third funicular segment globular; occipital carinae indistinct.

Scutellum in dorsal view little tapering from anterior to posterior end; metanotum not projecting below scutellum in dorsal and lateral view; dorsal face of propodeum absent. Head sculpture rugulose; scutellum mostly shiny. Color light brown, with head darker.

Type Material

Notes (Blaimer & Fisher, 2013): At the Musee National d'Histoire Naturelle, where the Andre collection is housed, no specimens from the type locality Tamatave were found. Instead we examined the following (non-type) material from the Andre collection at MNHN: Madagascar (unknown collector), 5 workers on one pin, middle specimen (CASENT0101409) imaged on AntWeb. However, we examined material from Berlin Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität with the following type locality information: Madagascar: Tamatave (Friedrichs), 1 w, 1 aQ, 1 m. Given the distribution of other Andre type material across museums in Europe, it is highly likely that these specimens belong to the syntype series (P.S. Ward, pers. comm.) and we therefore consider this material eligible for lectotype designation.

References

  • Blaimer, B.B. & Fisher, B.L. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068082).
  • André, E. 1887. Description de quelques fourmis nouvelles ou imparfaitement connues. Rev. Entomol. (Caen) 6: 280-298 (page 297, worker, queen, male described)
  • Emery, C. 1922c. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Myrmicinae. [part]. Genera Insectorum 174B: 95-206 (page 147, Combination in C. (Acrocoelia))
  • Wheeler, W. M. 1922k. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. IX. A synonymic list of the ants of the Malagasy region. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 4 45: 1005-1055 (page 1023, Combination in C. (Crematogaster))

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Blaimer B. B. 2012. Acrobat ants go global – Origin, evolution and systematics of the genus Crematogaster (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 65: 421-436.
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068082
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068220
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068223
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068224
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068225
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068226
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068228
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068229
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068230
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068235
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068236
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068239
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068240
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068241
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068243
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068245
  • Blaimer B. B., B. L. Fisher. 2013. How much variation can one ant species hold? Species delimitation in the Crematogaster kelleri-group in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68082. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068293
  • Fisher B. L. 1997. Biogeography and ecology of the ant fauna of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Natural History 31: 269-302.
  • Fisher B. L. 2003. Formicidae, ants. Pp. 811-819 in: Goodman, S. M.; Benstead, J. P. (eds.) 2003. The natural history of Madagascar. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, xxi + 1709 pp.
  • Soulié J., and L. D. Dicko. 1965. La répartition des genres de fourmis de la tribu des "Cremastogastrini" dans la faune éthiopienne et malgache. Hymenoptera - Formicoidea - Myrmicidae. Ann. Univ. Abidjan Sér. Sci. 1: 85-106.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. IX. A synonymic list of the ants of the Malagasy region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 1005-1055
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