Key to Crematogaster of the southwestern Australian Botanical Province

This worker key is based on: Heterick, B. E. 2009a. A guide to the ants of South-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 76: 1-206. Part 2.

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• Australia
• SWBP
• Crematogaster

1

• Propodeum flattened and all sectors on the same plane (except for a narrow anterior strip behind metanotal groove in some specimens); anterior lateral carinae often present, extending from metanotal groove to propodeal angles (subgenus Orthocrema) (Figure 542) . . . . . 2

Figure 542.

• Anterior sector of propodeum not flattened, often convex, not on same plane as posterior sector; anterior lateral carinae always absent (Figure 543) . . . . . 7

Figure 543.

2

return to couplet #1

• Head, mesosoma and nodes finely and uniformly microreticulate (Figure 544); stout, erect setae absent from dorsum of head, mesosoma (rarely present on humeral angles) and often nodes and gaster . . . . . Crematogaster sp. JDM 859

Figure 544.

• Sculpture not as above; stout, erect setae always present on dorsum of head, mesosoma and gaster . . . . . 3

3

return to couplet #2

• Viewed in profile, at least three lines of paired setae on promesonotum (Figure 545), or setae numerous, not always in line . . . . . 4

Figure 545.

• Viewed in profile, two lines of setae on promesonotum (Figure 546) . . . . . 6

Figure 546.

4

return to couplet #3

• Postpetiole without longitudinal sulcus separating node into two lobes (Figure 547); promesonotal sculpture weak to vestigial, promesonotum often smooth and shining . . . . . Crematogaster rufotestacea

Figure 548.

(in part - also #6)

• Postpetiole with longitudinal sulcus (may be weak and shallow) separating node into two lobes (e.g. Figure 548); promesonotum moderately to strongly sculptured . . . . . 5

Figure 548.

5

return to couplet #4

• Sculpture of promesonotum medially with large reticulations, with microreticulation in between (Figure 549); viewed dorsally, lobes of postpetiole poorly developed, shining and close together; spines short, ≈ 1 x width of femora . . . . . Crematogaster queenslandica group sp. JDM 1099

Figure 549.

• Sculpture of promesonotum medially with longitudinal striolae, with microreticulation in between (Figure 550); viewed dorsally, lobes of postpetiole relatively well-developed, matt and widely separated, with microreticulate sculpture in between them; propodeal spines very long in some northern populations, length ≈ 2 x width of femora . . . . . Crematogaster queenslandica gilberti

Figure 550.

6

return to couplet #3

• Viewed dorsally, postpetiole not wider than petiole and without two distinct lobes (Figure 551); promesonotum shining, often with reduced sculpture or unsculptured; head and gaster light brown, mesosoma yellowish . . . . . Crematogaster rufotestacea (in part - also #4)

Figure 551.

• Viewed dorsally, postpetiole wider than petiole, with two distinct lobes (Figure 552); promesonotum finely striate or microreticulate; mostly concolorous brown . . . . . Crematogaster queenslandica group sp. JDM 428

Figure 552.

7

return to couplet #1

• Stout, erect setae absent from dorsum of head, mesosoma and gaster . . . . . Crematogaster cornigera group sp. JDM 126

• Stout, erect setae present on dorsum of head, mesosoma and gaster . . . . . 8

8

return to couplet #7

• Dorsum of mesosoma matt, strongly rugosestriate . . . . . Crematogaster frivola / Crematogaster perthensis

• Dorsum of mesosoma shining, often almost unsculptured . . . . . 9

9

return to couplet #8

• Lateral projections of petiolar node rounded (Figure 553) . . . . . Crematogaster laeviceps

Figure 553.

• Lateral projections of petiolar node rather angular (Figure 554) . . . . . Crematogaster laeviceps group sp. JDM 858

Figure 554.