Crematogaster bonnieae

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.

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.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 * . Crematogaster bonnieae Akbar, Bharti & Wachkoo, 2023: 10, fig. 1 (w.) INDIA (Kerala).

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.