Crematogaster cypria

Ants were collected on stems of shrubs, on ground around the shrubs, and on rocks. Locality near Avakas Gorge was located near sea shore, only 17 m a.s.l., in a shallow valley of an intermittent stream. The following ant species were recorded in the same area: Aphaenogaster sporadis, Camponotus cecconii, Lepisiota sp., Messor cf. structor, Messor sp., Monomorium bicolor, and Tapinoma simrothi. Locality on roadside between Panagia and Cedar Valley was situated in a montane pine forest at altitude of 755 m. (Salata & Borowiec 2015)

Identification
Salata & Borowiec (2015) - Crematogaster cypria at first glance is very similar to Crematogaster jehovae from the Near East; both species have short propodeal spines and pronotum only dorsolaterally with rugae. However, C. cypria differs in the first gastral tergite bearing numerous erect setae, whereas in C. jehovae the first gastral tergite is bearing appressed hairs, with a row of erect setae only along the posterior margin of the tergite. From Crematogaster erectepilosa and Crematogaster gullukdagensis it is easily distinguished by shorter propodeal spines and a shorter mesonotal keel (see the key below). Crematogaster oasium, distributed from Algeria to Saudi Arabia, is a similar species, but differs in having very short propodeal spines forming denticles (in C. cypria the spine is distinct, approximately twice as long as wide at its base) and the dorsum of the pronotum is distinctly dull (shiny in C. cypria).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Cyprus.

Nomenclature

 *  cypria. Crematogaster (Acrocoelia) jehovae var. cypria Santschi, 1930c: 266 (w.) CYPRUS. Raised to species: Salata & Borowiec, 2015: 62.

Worker
Salata & Borowiec (2015) - (n=24): HL: 0.88 ± 0.048 (0.804-1.017); HW: 0.898 ± 0.062 (0.804-1.061); SL: 0.739 ± 0.025 (0.698-0.816); EL: 0.212 ± 0.014 (0.19-0.251); EW: 0.165 ± 0.01 (0.156-0.19); ML: 1.003 ± 0.066 (0.882-1.212); PSL: 0.146 ± 0.019 (0.112-0.19); SDL: 0.06 ± 0.01 (0.034-0.089); PL: 0.359 ± 0.027 (0.313-0.413); PPL: 0.207 ± 0.017 (0.179-0.24); PH: 0.23 ± 0.018 (0.201- 0.268); PPH: 0.259 ± 0.02 (0.215-0.302); PNW: 0.57 ± 0.037 (0.503-0.67); LHT: 0.688 ± 0.029 (0.648-0.771); PW: 0.349 ± 0.04 (0.302-0.436); PPW: 0.302 ± 0.029 (0.263-0.38); CI: 101.8 ± 2.13 (96.6-108.2); SI1: 84.1 ± 2.8 (79.9-89.5); SI2: 82.8 ± 3.5 (74.8-87.6); MI: 175.9 ± 4.8 (160.7-183.4); SPI: 41.0 ± 6.6 (26.6-54.5); PI1: 156.5 ± 8.4 (139.6-172.9); PI2: 61.2 ± 4.6 (55.2-75.6); PPI1: 80.0 ± 4.1 (72.8-86.8); PPI2: 53.0 ± 2.7 (49.6-61.8); HTI: 76.5 ± 2.3 (72.6-80.3); EI: 77.9 ± 3.6 (70.6-85.7); EI1: 24.2 ± 1.0 (23.0-26.0); EI2: 19.1 ± 0.5 (18.3-20.0).

Colour uniformly brown or reddish-brown, mesosoma usually not or only slightly paler coloured than head and abdomen, antennae and legs the same colour as mesosoma.

Head shape quadrate, approximately as wide or slightly wider than long (CI: 101.8 ± 2.13), posterior margin of head in full-face view straight and laterally rounded, occipital carinae distinct. Antennal scapes reaching or surpassing head margin. Midline of eyes situated slightly above midline of head in full-face view, eyes moderately large (EI1: 24.2 ± 1.0) and slightly protruding. Pronotum laterally rounded, without sharp lateral margins, promesonotal suture indistinct, mesonotum without posterior face, more or less forming one plane with pronotum. Metanotal groove deep, laterally constricted; propodeal spines short, approximately two times as long as wide at base, spiniform, not curved downwards. Dorsal face of propodeum short but distinct, convex in profile, posterior face of propodeum distinctly sloping, without or with a very shallow transverse groove. Petiole in dorsal view cordiform, dorsum flat, without posterolateral tubercules or denticles, sides carinate, subpetiolar process absent. Postpetiole distinctly bilobed, with a moderately broad median impression, subpostpetiolar process absent.

Head surface finely and sparsely punctate, without microreticulation between punctures, shiny. Masticatory margin of mandibles with four teeth, surface of mandibles distinctly carinate. Clypeus mostly smooth, only on sides with thin, short carinae. Antennal scrobes laterally with 5–7 short carinae not reaching to mid-length of eye. Whole surface of head appears shiny. Vestiture of head mostly with sparse, short, adjacent hairs and 5–8 long erect setae on frons and several long erect setae on underside. Antennal scapes on anterior and dorsal surface covered with suberect setae, on posterior surface basally with adjacent and distally suberect setae. Surface of scape microreticulate. Pronotum only dorsolaterally with short longitudinal rugae, anterior face punctate and microtuberculate at base of setae with very short and sparse carinae, posterior face with slightly carinate setose punctures, sometimes with very thin transverse wrinkles but surface of pronotum appears more or less shiny. Whole dorsal surface of pronotum bearing mixed sparse, short and suberect and long erect setae. Sides of pronotum mostly smooth and shiny with more or less distinct thin, transverse carinae. Mesonotum dorsally in anterior half mostly without sculpture, more or less shiny, without distinct median keel only close to promesonotal suture with small tubercle, in posterior half with thin transverse carinae. Surface of mesonotum with very sparse, short adjacent setae, one to two moderately long, erect setae in anterior part and two pairs of setae posterolaterally. Mesopleuron on whole surface with dense transverse carinae. Dorsal face of propodeum microreticulate, with longitudinal carinae and very sparse and short adjacent pubescence, slope of propodeum smooth and shiny, metapleuron on whole surface with dense, transverse carinae. Petiole on sides with one long and one short erect setae, postpetiolar tubercles with 2-3 erect setae. First gastral tergite with very short and sparse basic pubescence and on whole surface with sparse, moderately long erect setae, subsequent tergites with row of erect setae along posterior margins. Whole surface of tergites with very fine microreticulation, appears shiny. First sternite with short and sparse basic pubescence and numerous long, erect setae. Legs bearing sparse, short, adjacent pubescence.

Type Material
Salata & Borowiec (2015) - Syntype worker: Cr. Jehovae v Fo cypria Sant Chypre Yermasogia River. 6.II.30 G. Mavromoustakis Type Sammlung Dr. F. Santschi Kairouan ANTWEB CASENT 0912688.