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Crematogaster telolafy
| Crematogaster telolafy | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
| Genus: | Crematogaster |
| Species: | C. telolafy |
| Binomial name | |
| Crematogaster telolafy Blaimer, 2012
| |
No colony collections of C. telolafy have been made that could give clues on the biology of this species. It has been collected by methods of litter sifting, malaise, pitfall and pan traps, as well as beating low vegetation. (Blaimer 2012)
Identification
Blaimer (2012) - A member of the Crematogaster madecassa group. Workers of Crematogaster telolafy can be differentiated from all other Malagasy Orthocrema species except Crematogaster madecassa by the presence of two distinct vertical carinae on the clypeus. From C. madecassa, which shares this feature, C. telolafy workers are distinguished by the form (triangular) and the shorter length of their propodeal spines, and by the shorter antennal scape. Queens of C. telolafy are unknown, but are expected to be morphologically similar to C. madecassa queens.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Distributed mainly in the dry and spiny forests of southern and western Madagascar at low elevations, with some notable exceptions of records from remnant patches of western rainforest, e.g. Rés. Ambohijanahary, or gallery forest such as exists in the Isalo region.
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -18.26667° to -24.7585°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar (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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Biology
Castes
Known only from the worker caste.
Images from AntWeb
 
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| Specimen code casent0077869. . | |
   
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| Specimen code casent0419808. . | |
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| Specimen code casent0419832. . | |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- telolafy. Crematogaster telolafy Blaimer, 2012b: 53, fig. 29 (w.) MADAGASCAR.
- Type-material: holotype worker, 4 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Madagascar: Prov. Toliara, P.N. Zombitse, 19.8 km. 84° E Sakaraha, 770 m., 5-9.ii.2003, 22°50.6’S, 44°42.6’E, BLF7510, sifted litter (B.L. Fisher, et al.); paratypes: 2 workers Prov. Toliara, Kirindy, 15.5 km. 64° ENE Marofandilia, 28.xi.-3.xii.2001, 100 m., 20°03’S, 44°40’E, BLF4605, and BLF4605(7), spiny forest/thicket, ex dead tree stump (B.L. Fisher, et al.), 2 workers Prov. Mahajanga, P.N. Tsingy de Bemaraha, 10.6 km. 123° ESE Antsalova, 150 m., 18°43’S, 44°43’E, 16-20.xi.2001, BLF4434, and BLF4434(7), tropical dry forest, ex rotten log (B.L. Fisher, et al.).
- Type-depositories: CASC (holotype); MCZC, MHNG, SAMC, UCDC (paratypes).
- Combination in C. (Orthocrema): Blaimer, 2012b: 32.
- 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
(n=16). Holotype: HW 0.58; HL 0.55; EL 0.15; SL 0.44; WL 0.58; SPL 0.07; PTH 0.13; PTL 0.20; PTW 0.17; PPL 0.13; PPW 0.18; LHT 0.45; CI 1.06; OI 0.27; SI 0.80; SPI 0.13; PTHI 0.64; PTWI 0.82; PPI 1.34; LBI 1.29.
Other material. HW 0.50–0.58; HL 0.47–0.56; EL 0.12–0.14; SL 0.39–0.46; WL 0.52–0.69; SPL 0.06–0.11; PTH 0.10–0.15; PTL 0.17–0.22; PTW 0.14–0.17; PPL 0.10–0.13; PPW 0.15–0.19; LHT 0.38–0.48; CI 1.02–1.09; OI 0.23–0.28; SI 0.78–0.87; SPI 0.10–0.19; PTHI 0.51–0.70; PTWI 0.67–0.89; PPI 1.22–1.60; LBI 1.24–1.67.
Very small species (HW 0.50–0.58, WL 0.52–0.69), with characters of the C. madecassa-group, in addition to the following. Clypeus with two distinct median vertical carinae; antennal scapes reaching, or barely surpassing posterior margin of head.
Metanotal groove constricted to less than half as wide as pronotal width; propodeal spines short to medium-sized (SPI 0.10–0.19), usually in form of acute triangular points, sometimes more elongate and spiniform, distinctly directed upwards in lateral view, in dorsal view parallel or moderately diverging; subpostpetiolar process usually present, often as acute minute tooth.
Promesonotum usually with 6 erect, long flexuous setae: 2 humeral setae, and 2 setae each at anterior and posterior end of mesonotal carinae. Color pale to medium yellow.
Type Material
MADAGASCAR: Toliara: P.N. Zombitse: -22.84333, 44.71000, 770m, tropical dry forest, sifted litter, 5–9.ii.2003, B.L.Fisher et al..
Holotype worker: pinned, CASENT0032779, BLF07510(19), sifted litter; original locality label: MADG’R: Prov. Toliara, P.N. Zombitse, 19.8 km 84°E Sakaraha 770m, 5–9.ii.2003, 22°50.6’S, 44°42.6’E, Fisher et al. BLF7510; deposited at California Academy of Sciences.
4 paratype workers: #1: pinned, CASENT0473872, BLF04605(29), spiny forest/thicket, ex dead tree stump; original locality label: MADG’R: Prov. Toliara, Kirindy, 15.5 km 64 ENE Marofandilia, 28.xi.–3.xii.2001, 100m 20°03'S, 44°40'E, Fisher et al. BLF4605; deposited at SAMC. #2: pinned, CASENT0473867, BLF04605(7), same habitat and label data as #1; deposited at MHNG. #3: pinned, CASENT0419808, BLF4434(7), tropical dry forest, ex rotten log; original locality label: MADG’R: Prov. Mahajanga, P.N. Tsingy de Bemaraha, 10.6 km 123°ESE Antsalova, 150m 18°43'S, 44°43'E, 16–20.xi.2001, Fisher et al. BLF4434; deposited at Museum of Comparative Zoology. #4: pinned, CASENT0193950, BLF04434(7), same habitat and label data as #3; deposited at University of California, Davis.
Etymology
This species is named for the triangular form of its propodeal spines, as “telolafy” is the Malagasy word for triangle. This name should be treated as a noun in apposition.
References
- Blaimer, B.B. 2012. Taxonomy and species-groups of the subgenus Crematogaster (Orthocrema) in the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys, 199, 23-70.
- Blaimer, B.B., Fisher, B.L. 2013. Taxonomy of the Crematogaster degeeri-species-assemblage in the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). European Journal of Taxonomy 51: 1-64 (doi:10.5852/ejt.2013.51).
- Camacho, G.P., Loss, A.C., Fisher, B.L., Blaimer, B.B. 2021. Spatial phylogenomics of acrobat ants in Madagascar—Mountains function as cradles for recent diversity and endemism. Journal of Biogeography 48, 1706–1719 (doi:10.1111/jbi.14107).
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Blaimer B. B. 2012. Taxonomy and species-groups of the subgenus Crematogaster (Orthocrema) in the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 199: 23-70
- Blaimer, B.. "Taxonomy and species-groups of the subgenus Crematogaster (Orthocrema) in the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)." ZooKeys 199 (2012): 23-70.