Crematogaster erectepilosa

The ants were collected on ground around shrubs and from shrub leaves and stems. Locality on Karpathos, Olympos was placed 429 m a.s.l. in dry, stony and rocky area with sparse shrubs. First locality on Spoa-Mesochori rd. was on a rocky slope, above olive orchard, overgrown by shrubs. Second locality on Spoa-Mesochori rd. was near a road, opposite the Spoa-Mesochori rd. locality, area was overgrown by Mediterranean shrubland. Locality near Agios Nikolaos was located above the village. The vegetation at this locality is a Mediterranean shrubland and pine forest. Locality near Achamandria was on a dry slope overgrown by Mediterranean shrubland and isolated pine trees. Locality near Trachanammos was in a sandy valley created by intermittent river, overgrown by Mediterranean shrubland. Nest was located in the soil, under stone beneath shrubs. (Salata & Borowiec 2015)

Identification
Salata & Borowiec (2015) - Crematogaster erectepilosa differs from all species from the north-eastern part of the Mediterranean Basin, except Crematogaster cypria and Crematogaster gullukdagensis, in that the first gastral tergite bearing numerous erect setae. Crematogaster cypria is well distinguished by shorter propodeal spines and mesonotal keel. C. gullukdagensis is very similar but differs in having the antennal scape predominantly with subappressed and suberect setae, while in C. erectepilosa the setae on scape are mostly erect. Head in full face view in C. erectepilosa appears round, while in C. gullukdagensis it is slightly square. Eyes in C. erectepilosa are more round (EI 74.3 ± 2.3 [71.5-78.8]) and in C. gullukdagensis they are more oval (EI 69.5 ± 3.1 [63.4-73.6]). Body ground colour in C. erectepilosa. is darker, yellowish-brown to brown, in C. gullukdagensis yellowish to pale yellowish-brown. Propodeal spines of C. erectepilosa in most specimens are slightly curved down, while in C. gullukdagensis propodeal spines are mostly straight, spine at base slightly thicker in C. erectepilosa and thinner in C. gullukdagensis. Sides of pronotum in C. erectepilosa in most specimens have fine longitudinal striation, while in C. gullukdagensis they are mostly without striation, smooth and shiny.

Distribution
Dodecanese Archipelago in Aegean Greece.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Greece.

Nomenclature

 *  erectepilosa. Crematogaster erectepilosa Salata & Borowiec, 2015: 65, figs. 3, 4, 7, 10, 14, 20 (w.) GREECE.

Worker
(n=23): HL: 0.948 ± 0.039 (0.872-1.017); HW: 0.972 ± 0.056 (0.872-1.072); SL: 0.884 ± 0.027 (0.835-0.921); EL: 0.228 ± 0.007 (0.212-0.235); EW: 0.169 ± 0.005 (0.162-0.179); ML:1.117 ± 0.057 (1.011- 1.209); PSL: 0.2 ± 0.023 (0.156-0.251); SDL: 0.065 ± 0.03 (0.044-0.165); PL: 0.415 ± 0.014 (0.391-0.436); PPL: 0.207 ± 0.012 (0.19-0.235); PH: 0.228 ± 0.016 (0.19- 0.246); PPH: 0.26 ± 0.017 (0.223-0.291); PNW: 0.6 ± 0.03 (0.547-0.654); LHT: 0.81 ± 0.027 (0.777-0.865); PW: 0.337 ± 0.03 (0.236-0.38); PPW: 0.297 ± 0.018 (0.268-0.335); CI: 102.5 ± 1.9 (99.3-105.4); SI1: 93.3 ± 1.9 (89.3-96.0); SI2: 91.1 ± 3.0 (84.7-96.0); MI: 186.1 ± 3.7 (179.6-194.0); SPI: 28.9 ± 4.3 (23.2-37.8); PI1: 184.3 ± 11.7 (167.9-205.8); PI2: 56.2 ± 4.0 (42.2-59.2); PPI1: 79.1 ± 3.5 (73.4- 83.7); PPI2: 49.5 ± 1.0 (47.9-51.2); HTI: 84.8 ± 2.6 (81.1-90.4); EI: 74.3 ± 2.3 (71.5-78.8); EI1: 24.1 ± 0.7 (22.7-25.0); EI2: 17.9 ± 0.7 (16.9-18.7).

Colour uniformly pale to dark brown, mesosoma not paler coloured than head and abdomen, legs the same colour, antennae only slightly paler coloured than mesosoma.

Head shape almost round, approximately as wide as long (CI: 102.5 ± 1.9), posterior margin of head in full-face view straight and laterally rounded, occipital carinae distinct. Antennal scapes slightly surpassing head margin. Midline of eyes situated slightly above midline of head in full-face view, eyes moderately large (EI1: 24.1 ± 0.7) and protruding. Pronotum laterally rounded, with sharp lateral margins, promesonotal suture absent, mesonotum without posterior face more or less forming one plane with pronotum. Metanotal groove deep, laterally constricted; propodeal spines long, 2.7–2.8 times as long as wide at base, spiniform, in most specimens slightly curved downwards. Dorsal face of propodeum short but distinct, convex in profile, posterior face of propodeum distinctly sloping, without transverse groove. Petiole in dorsal view cordiform, dorsum flat or slightly concave, without posterolateral tubercules or denticles, sides carinate, subpetiolar process absent. Postpetiole distinctly bilobed, with a narrow 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 on whole surface with thin carinae or only in the middle carinae indistinct. Antennal scrobes laterally with 7–9 long carinae extending to mid length of eye, also genae with carinae and area behind eyes with thin carinae. Whole surface of head appears shiny. Vestiture of head mostly with sparse, short, suberect hairs and 5–8 long erect setae on frons and several long erect setae on underside. Antennal scapes on anterior and dorsal surface bearing long erect setae, on posterior surface basally with suberect and distally erect setae. Surface of scape with indistinct microreticulation, shiny. Pronotum in anterior half and dorsolaterally with longitudinal rugae, posterior face with punctuation and sparse, very short carinae, surface of pronotum appears more or less shiny. Whole dorsal surface of pronotum bearing mixed sparse, short suberect and long erect setae. Sides of pronotum with more or less distinct thin, transverse carinae disappearing from anterior to posterior margin of pronotum but in most specimens well visible. Mesonotum dorsally on whole length with longitudinal and oblique rugae, more or less shiny, with distinct median keel in most specimens running from anterior margin of mesonotum to its ¾ length, in some specimens reaching to posterior margin of mesonotum. Surface of mesonotum with very sparse, short adjacent setae. Mesopleuron on whole surface with dense, transverse carinae. Dorsal face of propodeum 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 and posterior half with long erect setae, also postpetiolar tubercles several erect setae. First gastral tergite with sparse, moderately long, suberect 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 moderately long and sparse basic pubescence and numerous long, erect setae. Legs bearing sparse, moderately long, more or less erect pubescence.

Type Material
Holotype worker – Collection L. Borowiec Formicidae LBC-GR01365 GREECE, Dodecanese Karpathos, Olympos, 429 m 35,72448 N/27,1697 E 19 V 2014, S. Salata ( no. 1222 ); 18 paratype workers: the same data as holotype (,, TU no. ANTWEB1008777-ANTWEB1008794); 2 paratype workers – Collection L. Borowiec Formicidae LBC-GR01364 GREECE, Dodecanese, 385 m Karpathos, Spoa-Mesochori rd. loc 2., 35,63108 N/27,13624 E 22 V 2014, S. Salata (DBET no. ANTWEB1008795-ANTWEB1008796); 22 paratype workers – GREECE, Dodecanese, 385 m Karpathos, Spoa-Mesochori rd. loc 2., 35,63108 N/27,13624 E 22 V 2014, S. Salata (DBET, SSC no. ANTWEB100879- ANTWEB1008818); 1 paratype worker – Collection L. Borowiec Formicidae LBC-GR01364 GREECE, Dodecanese, 399 m Karpathos, Spoa-Mesochori rd. 35,62748 N/27,12748 E 21 V 2014, S. Salata (DBET no. ANTWEB1008819); 1 paratype worker – GREECE Dodecanese Karpathos, Ag. Nikolaos, 189 m 35°38'N 27°09'E 20.05.14 S. Salata (SSC no. ANTWEB1008820); 32 paratype workers – GREECE Karpathos Trachanammos, 0 m. 35°27'N 27°06'E 22.05.14 S. Salata ( DBET, SSC no. ANTWEB1008821-ANTWEB1008852); 4 paratype workers – GREECE Dodecanese Karpathos, Achamandria, 222 m 35°41'N 27°09'E 18.05.14 S. Salata (SSC no. ANTWEB1008853-ANTWEB1008856); 1 paratype worker – GREECE Dodecanese Karpathos, Olympos, 351 m 35°43'N 27°10'E 19.05.14 S. Salata (SSC no. ANTWEB1008857); 2 paratype workers – GREECE Dodec. Karpathos, Vanada, 460 m 35°33' N/27°09'E, 12.10.2013 Lymberakis (SSC no. ANTWEB1008858-ANTWEB1008859); 1 paratype worker – GREECE Dodec. Rodos, Prasonisi, 17 m 36°58' N/27°44'E, 9.07.2006 Chatzaki M. (SSC no. ANTWEB1008860); 1 paratype worker – GREECE Dodec. Kandelioussa, 76 m 36°30'N /26°58'E, 6.06.2006 Chatzaki M. (SSC no. ANTWEB1008861); 1 paratype worker – Collection L. Borowiec Formicidae LBC-GR01551 GREECE, Dodecanese, Rodos Prasonisi, 9 VII 2006, 14 m 35,8842 N 27,768 E leg. M. Chatzaki (DBET no. ANTWEB1008862); 1 paratype worker – Collection L. Borowiec Formicidae LBC-GR01550 GREECE, Dodecanese, 270 m Kos, Pelli 36,8352/N 27,1668 E 9 IX 2001 leg. M. Chatzaki (DBET no. ANTWEB1008863).

Etymology
Named after erect setae on antennal scape.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2018. Notes on ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Samos Island, Greece. Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 27: 1-13.
 * Salata S., and L. Borowiec. 2015. Redescription of Crematogaster cypria Santschi, 1930, new status, with description of two new related species from Greece and Turkey (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 505: 59–77.
 * Salata S., and L. Borowiec. 2018. Taxonomic and faunistic notes on Greek ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 27: 1-51.