Crematogaster contemta

Identification
Crematogaster brunnea is a complex species group consisting of six species. General characters are reddish brown colouration, head smooth and shining with faint striations near base of antennae and gena, head wider than the mesosoma, the vertex slightly emarginated; mesosoma in lateral view finely striated longitudinally, metanotum deeply concave with acute spine; petiole heart shaped, flattened above; postpetiole globose and biturberculate dorsally; gaster smooth and shining.

Crematogaster contemta (often as Crematogaster brunnea contemta) is a light bicoloured yellowish subspecies with darker brown gaster, propodeal spines small sharply pointed, thick at the base, directed downward.

Crematogaster brunnea nicevillei is a darker subspecies with smaller spines, deep metanotal groove, raised mesonotum and faintly striate gena.

Crematogaster brunnea nilgirica is restricted to southern India with prominent striations on head and mesosomal dorsum, propodeal spines large, diverging, fronto clypeal sulcus more or less pointed.

Crematogaster brunnea rabula is a dull brownish coloured subspecies with pronotum and propodeum dorsally feebly striate, propodeal spines short, pointed, thick at base diverging outwards.

Crematogaster brunnea ruginota is a light yellowish brown coloured subspecies with deep metanotal groove, strongly raised pro- and mesonotum, propodeal declivity truncate, propodeal spines smaller, pointed, thick at base, directed upward. (Akbar et al., 2023)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka. Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 * . Crematogaster contemta Mayr, 1879: 685 (w.) INDIA (West Bengal).
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: India: Calcutta (Rothney).
 * Type-depository: NHMW.
 * Bingham, 1903: 130 (q.).
 * Combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 150.
 * Subspecies of subnuda: Forel, 1902c: 208; Forel, 1903a: 685; Forel, 1907a: 23; Forel, 1907e: 17.
 * Subspecies of laboriosa: Santschi, 1928b: 33.
 * Subspecies of brunnea: Emery, 1922e: 150; Wheeler, W.M. 1929f: 5; Wheeler, W.M. 1930h: 64; Bolton, 1995b: 151; Guénard & Dunn, 2012: 42; Bharti, Guénard, et al. 2016: 36.
 * Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 80; Rothney, 1903: 98; Bingham, 1903: 130; Mukerjee, 1934: 6; Wu, J. & Wang, 1995: 65; Dias, R.K.S. et al. 2020: 70.
 * Distribution: China, India, Sri Lanka.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
 * Chen Y., C. W. Luo, H. W. Li, Y. J. Liu, H. F. Zheng, and F. C. Yang. 2013. Investigation of ant species and distribution on Wuliang Mountain. Journal of Henan Agricultural Sciences 42(5): 118-122.
 * Chen Y., C.-W. Luo, H. W Li, Z. H. Xu, Y. J. Liu, and S. J. Zhao. 2011. The investigation of soil ant resources on the West slope of Mt Ailao. Hubei Agricultural Sciences 50(7): 1356-1359.
 * Dias R. K. S., and R. P. K. C. Rajapaksa. 2016. Geographic records of subfamilies, genera and species of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the four climatic zones of Sri Lanka: a review. J. Sci. Univ. Kelaniya 11(2): 23-45.
 * Hosoishi S. and K. Ogata. 2009. A check list of the ant genus Crematogaster in Asia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. Inst. Trop. Agr. Kyushu Univ. 32: 43-83.
 * Li Q., Z. Lu, Z. Wei, M. Yanyan, and F. Ping. 2015. Communities of ground-dwelling ants in different plantation forest in arid-hot valleys of Jinsha river, Yunnan Province, China. Scientia Silvae Sinicae 51(8): 134-142.
 * Pajni H. R., and R. K. Suri. 1978. First report on the Formicid fauna (Hymenoptera) of Chandigarh. Res. Bull. (Science) Punjab University 29: 5-12.
 * Song Y., Z. Xu, C. Li, N. Zhang, L. Zhang, H. Jiang, and F. Mo. 2013. An Analysis on the Ant Fauna of the Nangun river Nature Reserve in Yunnan, China. Forest Research 26(6): 773-780.
 * Tak N. 2009. Ants Formicidae of Rajasthan. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, Occasional Paper No. 288, iv, 46 p
 * Tak N., and N. S. Rathore. 2004. Insecta: Hymenoptera. Rathore, N.S. Fauna of Desert National Park Rajasthan (proposed biosphere reserve). Conservation Area Series 19,Zool. Surv. India. 1-135. Chapter pagination: 81-84.
 * Tak N., and N. S. Rathore. 2004. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. State Fauna Series 8: Fauna of Gujarat. Zool. Surv. India. Pp. 161-183.
 * Tak N., and S. L. Kazmi. 2011. On a collection of Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae from Uttarakhand. Rec. zool. Surv. India : 111(2) : 39-49.
 * Tiwari R. N. 1997. Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Pp. 441-451 in: Zoological Survey of India; Director (ed.) 1997. Fauna of Delhi. Calcutta: Zoological Survey of India, vi + 903 pp.
 * Tiwari R.N., B.G. Kundu, S. Roychowdhury, S.N. Ghosh. 1999. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Pp. 211-294 in: Director; Zoological Survey of India (ed.) 1999. Fauna of West Bengal. Part 8. Insecta (Trichoptera, Thysanoptera, Neuroptera, Hymenoptera and Anoplura). Calcutta: Zoological Survey of India, iv + 442 pp.