Crematogaster wellmani

Defoliating activities have been observed in the African species Crematogaster buchneri, Crematogaster africana (Eguagie, 1973; Taylor, 2015) and Crematogaster wellmani (Bruno de Miré, 1969), whose workers attack the leaves, buds and flowers of several plants (Dejean et al., 2023).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Angola, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe.

Nomenclature

 * . Crematogaster wellmani Forel, 1909b: 64 (w.) ANGOLA.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Angola: Benguela (C. Wellman).
 * Type-depository: MHNG.
 * [Misspelled as welmani by Santschi, 1916b: 500, and others.]
 * Santschi, 1916b: 500 (q.).
 * Combination in C. (Atopogyne): Santschi, 1916b: 500;
 * combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 149;
 * combination in C. (Sphaerocrema): Santschi, 1926b: 218.
 * Status as species: Santschi, 1910c: 376; Forel, 1910e: 433; Santschi, 1916b: 500; Arnold, 1920a: 545; Emery, 1922e: 149; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 857; Menozzi, 1926a: 39; Santschi, 1926b: 218; Santschi, 1937d: 227; Menozzi, 1942: 168; Bolton, 1995b: 165; Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 211.
 * Senior synonym of boxi: Bolton, 1995b: 165.
 * Senior synonym of dewasi: Bolton, 1995b: 165.
 * Senior synonym of retusa: Bolton, 1995b: 165.
 * Distribution: Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe.
 * Current subspecies: nominal plus luciae, weissi.
 * boxi. Crematogaster (Sphaerocrema) boxi Donisthorpe, 1945a: 10 (w.) GHANA.
 * Type-material: 8 syntype workers.
 * Type-locality: Ghana (“Gold Coast”): N Ashanti, 20 mi. N Wenchi, 15.v.1944, in pods of Sterculia tomentosa (H.E. Box).
 * Type-depository: BMNH.
 * Status as species: Donisthorpe, 1945d: 265.
 * Junior synonym of wellmani: Bolton, 1995b: 149.
 * dewasi. Sphaerocrema dewasi Bruneau de Miré, 1966: 240, fig. (w.) CAMEROON.
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: Cameroon: Mampang (P. Burneau de Miré).
 * Type-depository: MNHN.
 * Junior synonym of wellmani: Bolton, 1995b: 152.
 * retusa. Crematogaster (Atopogyne) wellmani st. retusa Santschi, 1916b: 500 (w.q.m.) ZIMBABWE.
 * Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens, syntype males (numbers not stated).
 * Type-locality: Zimbabwe (“Rhodesia”): Victoria Falls (G. Arnold).
 * Type-depository: NHMB.
 * Combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 149;
 * combination in C. (Sphaerocrema): Santschi, 1926b: 219.
 * Subspecies of wellmani: Arnold, 1920a: 545; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 858; Emery, 1922e: 149; Santschi, 1926b: 219; Menozzi, 1942: 168.
 * Junior synonym of wellmani: Bolton, 1995b: 161.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Adenuga A. O. 1975. Mutualistic association between ants and some Homoptera - its significance in cocoa production. Psyche 82: 24-28.
 * Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2018. Notes on ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Gambia (Western Africa). Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 26: 1-13.
 * Delage-Darchen B. 1971. Contribution à l'étude écologique d'une savane de Côte d'Ivoire (Lamto). Les fourmis des strates herbacée et arborée. Biologia Gabonica 7: 461-496.
 * Donisthorpe H. 1945. New and rare species of Crematogaster Lund (Hym. Formicidae) from the Gold Coast, etc. Entomologist 78: 10-11.
 * Donisthorpe H. 1945. On a small collection of ants (Hym., Formicidae) from West Africa, associated with Coccidae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (11)12: 265-273.
 * Garcia F.H., Wiesel E. and Fischer G. 2013.The Ants of Kenya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)Faunal Overview, First Species Checklist, Bibliography, Accounts for All Genera, and Discussion on Taxonomy and Zoogeography. Journal of East African Natural History, 101(2): 127-222
 * Hita Garcia, F., G. Fischer, M.K. Peters, R.R. Snelling and H.W. Wagele. 2009. A preliminary checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Kakamega Forest (Kenya). Journal of East African Natural HIstory 98(2): 147-165.
 * IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
 * Majer J. D. 1976. The ant mosaic in Ghana cocoa farms: further structural considerations. Journal of Applied Ecology 13: 145-155.
 * Medler J. T. 1980: Insects of Nigeria - Check list and bibliography. Mem. Amer. Ent. Inst. 30: i-vii, 1-919.
 * Ross S. R. P. J., F. Hita Garcia, G. Fischer, and M. K. Peters. 2018. Selective logging intensity in an East African rain forest predicts reductions in ant diversity. Biotropica 1-11.
 * Santschi F. 1910. Formicides nouveaux ou peu connus du Congo français. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 78: 349-400.
 * Santschi F. 1937. Résultats de la Mission scientifique suisse en Angola (2me voyage) 1932-1933. Fourmis angolaises. Revue Suisse de Zoologie. 44: 211-250.
 * Taylor B. 1979. Ants of the Nigerian Forest Zone (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). III. Myrmicinae (Cardiocondylini to Meranoplini). Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria Research Bulletin 6: 1-65.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004