Crematogaster jacindae

The microhabitats where C. jacindae was encountered included leaf litter, soil, under stones, or on native vegetation, especially acacia trees. The majority of specimens were collected foraging on plants using a beating sheet, but workers were also observed foraging on the ground and wild shrubs.

Identification
Crematogaster jacindae sp. nov. is distinguished from related congeners by the combination of the following characters: median mesonotal carina absent; propodeal spines absent; propodeal spiracle distinct in the form of a slit; area in front of eyes finely longitudinally striated; antennal fossae surrounded by fine and curved striolae; head black-brown or black, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole dark brown, relatively lighter than head, gaster golden yellow.

The distinctive golden yellow gaster and complete lack of propodeal armament of C. jacindae allows this Omani species to be immediately recognized from all other Arabian species. The closest relative of the new species is Crematogaster inermis from Egypt. Both species are similar in body size and the lack of propodeal spines, but C. jacindae can be readily separated by the following characters: area in front of eyes finely longitudinally striated; cephalic surface feebly imbricate; eyes with about 11 ommatidia in the longest row; posterior half of clypeus without hairs or pubescence; mesopleura and metapleura distinctly densely imbricate; mesonotum with a single pair of hairs and without anterior tubercles; propodeal spiracles distinct in the form of a slit; body bicolored with head black-brown or black, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole dark brown, relatively lighter than head, gaster golden yellow. By contrast, C. inermis has an unsculptured cephalic surface including the area in front of the eyes, eyes with ca. 14 ommatidia in the longest row, the posterior half of clypeus with fine appressed pubescence, mesosoma with a small anterior tubercle close to the promesonotal suture seen in profile; mesopleura and metapleura longitudinally striated, mesonotum without hairs, propodeal spiracle circular, unicolorous black-brown body.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Oman.

Nomenclature

 *  jacindae. Crematogaster jacindae Sharaf & Hita Garcia, in Sharaf et al., 2019: 58, figs. 21A-C (w.) OMAN.

Type Material

 * Holotype: pinned worker, Oman: Dhofar, Ayn Sahlanoot, 17.14766N, 54.17878E, 151 m, 16.xi.2017 (Sharaf MR) (CASENT0872068, KSMA).
 * Paratype: pinned workers, Oman: Dhofar: Ayn Hamran, 17.08631N, 54.28043E, 56 m, 22.xi.2017, BS (Sharaf MR) (11 w, KSMA, 1 w, CASENT0922856, CASC, 1 w, WMLC); Ayn Razat, 17.12443N, 54.23832E, 98 m, 20.xi.2017, ML (Sharaf MR) (8 w); Dhalkout, 16.72673N, 53.24942E, 623 m, 18.xi.2017, SF (Sharaf MR) (16 w); Dhalkout, 16.70703N, 53.25068E, 34 m, 19.xi.2017, BS (Sharaf MR) (7 w); Dhalkout, 16.69273N, 53.15621E, 628 m, 18.xi.2017, BS (Sharaf MR) (17 w); Ayn Sahlanot, 17.14766N, 54.17878E, 151 m, 16.xi.2017, BS (Sharaf MR) (4 w); Ayn Ashat, 16.99810N, 53.81954E, 202 m, 21.xi.2017, SF (Sharaf MR) (20 w); Dhalkout road, Aghbaroot village, 16.79818N, 53.55392E, 1034 m, 18.xi.2017, BS (Sharaf MR) (1 w) (KSMA).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Sharaf M. R., S. A. Aldawood, and F. Hita Garcia. 2019. Review of the Arabian Crematogaster Lund (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), synoptic list, distribution, and description of two new species from Oman and Saudi Arabia. ZooKeys 898: 27-81