Crematogaster telolafy

No colony collections of C. telolafy have been made that could give clues on the biology of this species. It has been collected by methods of litter sifting, malaise, pitfall and pan traps, as well as beating low vegetation. (Blaimer 2012)

Identification
Blaimer (2012) - A member of the Crematogaster madecassa group. Workers of Crematogaster telolafy can be differentiated from all other Malagasy Orthocrema species except Crematogaster madecassa by the presence of two distinct vertical carinae on the clypeus. From C. madecassa, which shares this feature, C. telolafy workers are distinguished by the form (triangular) and the shorter length of their propodeal spines, and by the shorter antennal scape. Queens of C. telolafy are unknown, but are expected to be morphologically similar to C. madecassa queens.

Distribution
Distributed mainly in the dry and spiny forests of southern and western Madagascar at low elevations, with some notable exceptions of records from remnant patches of western rainforest, e.g. Rés. Ambohijanahary, or gallery forest such as exists in the Isalo region.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  telolafy. Crematogaster telolafy Blaimer, 2012: 53, fig. 29 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
(n=16). Holotype: HW 0.58; HL 0.55; EL 0.15; SL 0.44; WL 0.58; SPL 0.07; PTH 0.13; PTL 0.20; PTW 0.17; PPL 0.13; PPW 0.18; LHT 0.45; CI 1.06; OI 0.27; SI 0.80; SPI 0.13; PTHI 0.64; PTWI 0.82; PPI 1.34; LBI 1.29.

Other material. HW 0.50–0.58; HL 0.47–0.56; EL 0.12–0.14; SL 0.39–0.46; WL 0.52–0.69; SPL 0.06–0.11; PTH 0.10–0.15; PTL 0.17–0.22; PTW 0.14–0.17; PPL 0.10–0.13; PPW 0.15–0.19; LHT 0.38–0.48; CI 1.02–1.09; OI 0.23–0.28; SI 0.78–0.87; SPI 0.10–0.19; PTHI 0.51–0.70; PTWI 0.67–0.89; PPI 1.22–1.60; LBI 1.24–1.67.

Very small species (HW 0.50–0.58, WL 0.52–0.69), with characters of the C. madecassa-group, in addition to the following. Clypeus with two distinct median vertical carinae; antennal scapes reaching, or barely surpassing posterior margin of head.

Metanotal groove constricted to less than half as wide as pronotal width; propodeal spines short to medium-sized (SPI 0.10–0.19), usually in form of acute triangular points, sometimes more elongate and spiniform, distinctly directed upwards in lateral view, in dorsal view parallel or moderately diverging; subpostpetiolar process usually present, often as acute minute tooth.

Promesonotum usually with 6 erect, long flexuous setae: 2 humeral setae, and 2 setae each at anterior and posterior end of mesonotal carinae. Color pale to medium yellow.

Type Material
MADAGASCAR: Toliara: P.N. Zombitse: -22.84333, 44.71000, 770m, tropical dry forest, sifted litter, 5–9.ii.2003, B.L.Fisher et al..

Holotype worker: pinned, CASENT0032779, BLF07510(19), sifted litter; original locality label: MADG’R: Prov. Toliara, P.N. Zombitse, 19.8 km 84°E Sakaraha 770m, 5–9.ii.2003, 22°50.6’S, 44°42.6’E, Fisher et al. BLF7510; deposited at.

4 paratype workers: #1: pinned, CASENT0473872, BLF04605(29), spiny forest/thicket, ex dead tree stump; original locality label: MADG’R: Prov. Toliara, Kirindy, 15.5 km 64 ENE Marofandilia, 28.xi.–3.xii.2001, 100m 20°03'S, 44°40'E, Fisher et al. BLF4605; deposited at SAMC. #2: pinned, CASENT0473867, BLF04605(7), same habitat and label data as #1; deposited at MHNG. #3: pinned, CASENT0419808, BLF4434(7), tropical dry forest, ex rotten log; original locality label: MADG’R: Prov. Mahajanga, P.N. Tsingy de Bemaraha, 10.6 km 123°ESE Antsalova, 150m 18°43'S, 44°43'E, 16–20.xi.2001, Fisher et al. BLF4434; deposited at. #4: pinned, CASENT0193950, BLF04434(7), same habitat and label data as #3; deposited at.

Etymology
This species is named for the triangular form of its propodeal spines, as “telolafy” is the Malagasy word for triangle. This name should be treated as a noun in apposition.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Blaimer B. B. 2012. Taxonomy and species-groups of the subgenus Crematogaster (Orthocrema) in the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 199: 23-70
 * Blaimer, B.. "Taxonomy and species-groups of the subgenus Crematogaster (Orthocrema) in the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)." ZooKeys 199 (2012): 23-70.