Crematogaster gordani

Karaman (2008) - We do not know much about ecology of this species. Specimens have been collected near the bank of Morača river, in Podgorica city, and the nest was in the ground of the wooden house. One similar worker, with whole yellow body, was collected in Boka Kotorska Bay (28. July 1989) also. It was considered by us as coloured variety of C. schmidti (Karaman et al., 1998; Karaman, 2004). It is possible this species is the worker of C. gordani.

Identification
Karaman (2008) - Females of C. gordani are with triangular propodeal spines. Whole body is brown with yellow shade. Males are with rounded profile of thorax. Head and thorax dark yellow, nodes, gaster and appendages are clear yellow. Wings without infuscation, veins are pale yellow. Workers with the head, alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole dark yellow, and slightly darker abdomen. Appendages are of the same color as alitrunk and head.

Mesopropodeal furrow is deeply impressed. Propodeal spines are long, straight and sharply pointed. Length of these spines is about 2.3-2.5 times as long as their basal width. Whole alitrunk is rugose, prominent keel is present on mesonotum. Alitrunk is without outstanding hairs, only appears sparse, appressed pubescence. Petiole is with dilute sculpture, postpetiole is smooth and shining. Nodes are of general scutellaris shape.

Gaster is smooth, shining, covered with appressed pubescence, its hairs separated at their bases by a distance slightly longer than length of hairs. Several longer erected hairs are present on posterior margin of each gaster tergite.

Colour: The head, alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole are dark yellow, abdomen is slightly darker. Appendages are of the same colour as alitrunk and head.

The new species Crematogaster gordani has been previously recognized as yellow variety of Crematogaster schmidti, one widely distributed species in Podgorica and Montenegro. One single worker we found on Vrmac hill (Adriatic coast of Montenegro) also, and we have considered as unusual mutation of colour within C. schmidti. Workers, except by colour, can not be distinguished from those of C. schmidti. But, females and males of C. gordani have been compared with those of C. schmidti collected in Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia and clear differences were established.

The females of C. schmidti are provided with long and strait propodeal spines, in females of C. gordani these spines are short and triangular.

Outline of male thorax of C. schmidti, in lateral view, is with broken profile. Male of C. gordani is with rounded profile of thorax. Male genitalia in C. gordani differ clearly from those in C. schmidti.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Bulgaria, Montenegro.

Nomenclature

 *  gordani. Crematogaster gordani Karaman, 2008: 6, figs. 1-8, pl. 1 a-f (w.q.) MONTENEGRO.

Worker
Measurements of five specimens: body length: 4.2-5.0 mm; length of mesosoma in lateral view: 1.23-1.44 mm; width of the head at eyes level: 0.96-1.09 mm. Distance from upper edge of propodeal spiracle to tip of spine: 0.166-0.203 mm.

The head and alitrunk are of general scutellaris shape. The head with rounded occipital corners and straight posterior margin between them. Head, like that in queen, is covered with appressed pubescence, these hairs are separated at their bases by a distance slightly shorter than length of hairs. Outstanding hairs are present only on anterior margin of clypeus. The scapes are without erected hairs, only pubescence is present. Mandibles are longitudinally striated. Each mandible with 4 teeth including long apical and blunt basal tooth.

Queen
Holotype: Total length: 8.7 mm. Head is covered with appressed pubescence, bases of these short hairs are slightly closer together than the length of a hair. Erected hairs are present on anterior margin of clypeus. Ventral surface of head is with dense erected J-shaped hairs. In frontal view, posterior half of head is smooth. Frons longitudinally striated. Median line from central ocella till clypeus, as well as middle part of clypeus, are smooth and shining. Sides of clypeus are weakly striated. Mandible with 5 teeth, apical tooth is the biggest, second one is smaller, and another three teeth are the smallest and subequal.

Alitrunk pubescent, individual erected hairs might be present on scutum and scutellum. Propodeal spines are short, triangular (Fig. 1), as long as it's basal width. Pronotum, episternum and anterior part of mesosternum are smooth and shining, posterior part of mesosternum, metasternum and propodeum are longitudinally striated. Scutum (mesonotum) and scutellum are smooth and shining, both covered with appressed pubescence, distance between their bases are equal as their length.

Gaster is shining and covered with appressed pubescence. Distance between single setae of pubescence is equal to their length. Long, erected scattered hairs cover whole surface of gaster.

Colour: Head, antennae, alitrunk, nodes and gaster unicolor brown with yellow shade. Legs are clear yellow. Wings are not completely achromatic, but with some yellow shade. Wing venation is dark yellow to brown.

Measurements of five specimens: total length: 8.5-9.2 mm; head width at eyes level 1.584-1.646 mm; length of mesosoma in lateral view: 2.3 to 2.7 mm. Diameter of medial ocella: 120-138 μm.

Male
Measurements of five specimens: Total body length: 3.5-3.8 mm. Head width at eyes level: 0.553-0.634 mm. Diameter of ocella: 74.0-83.25 μm. Length of mesosoma in lateral view: 1.54-1.58 mm.

Head smooth with no erected hairs on dorsal surface. Several erected hairs are present on clypeus, mandibles and ventral surface of head. Scape is slightly longer than first antennal segment. Mandible with 2 to 4 subequal teeth. Scutum is weakly reticulate, scutellum is completely smooth and shining. Mesosternum, episternum and metasternum are gently striated. Propodeal spines are not prominent. Gaster is smooth and shining, covered with appressed pubescence.

Colour: Head and thorax dark yellow, nodes, gaster and appendages clear yellow. Wings without infuscation, veins are pale yellow.

Type Material
18 females, 64 males, 20 workers, collected in Podgorica, October 15, 1985., in the ground of the house of Biological Institute, at the bank of Morača river canyon (leg. G. S. Karaman).

Holotype (1 female marked by M-322H) and paratypes (5 females, 5 males and 5 workers marked by 01-08) are deposited in Natural History Museum of Montenegro, Podgorica.

Deposition of additional paratypes: (12 females, 59 males and 15 workers) KARAMAN’s Collection in Podgorica (Crna Gora).

Etymology
The name of the species is dedicated to Acc. Prof. Dr. Gordan S. Karaman from Podgorica who have collected the specimens of this species.