Crematogaster ghoneimi

This species was collected by pitfall trap next to a tree, Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schlt. (Apocynaceae). The type locality (Fig. 2 A–B) is characterized by a high floral diversity. Common taxa include Juniperus procera Hochst. Ex Endle. (Cupressaceae), Acacia gerrardii Benth (Fabaceae) and Aloe officinalis Forssk. (Aloeaceae). (Ghazanfar and Fisher 1998; Zohary 1973; Thomas 2016, El-Hawagry et al. 2016) (Sharaf & Aldawood, 2022).

Identification
Crematogaster ghoneimi is distinguished from related congeners by the combination of the following characters:
 * promesonotum with a single pair of hairs
 * subpetiolar process absent
 * propodeal spines exceptionally thin, long and acute, distinctly more than three times longer than its base
 * at least twice longer than propodeal spiracle diameter

Crematogaster ghoneimi is closely related to Crematogaster chiarinii described from Ethiopia from which it can be easily distinguished by the remarkably longer and thinner propodeal spines that are more than 3 × longer than its base; the presence of a single pair of hairs on promesonotum, and absence of the subpetiolar process, whereas C. chiarinii has shorter propodeal spines, about 1.5 × longer than their base, an acute subpetiolar process and the lack of promesonotum hairs. In addition, the propodeal spines are tapering apically in C. chiarinii (Fig. 3C), but not tapering apically in C. ghoneimi (Fig. 3E). Comparing C. ghoneimi with type material of Crematogaster chiarinii affabilis, (currently treated as a junior synonym of C. chiarinii), the former can be isolated by the longer scape that reaches the posterior margin of the head in full-face view, whereas the latter has the scape clearly not reaching the posterior margin of head.

In Sharaf et al. (2019)’s key to Arabian species, C. ghoneimi will key to couplet 8 along with Crematogaster acaciae and Crematogaster chiarinii.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia.

Nomenclature

 * . Crematogaster ghoneimi Sharaf, in Sharaf & Aldawood, 2022: 938, fig. 1 (w) SAUDI ARABIA.

Type Material

 * Holotype: pinned worker, KSA: Al Bahah, Shada Al ‘Ala, 19°51.762’N, 41°18.089’E, 1225 m, 08.xii.2014, (Al Dhafer et al.) (CASENT0746645, King Saud University Museum of Arthropods).
 * Paratypes: pinned workers, KSA: Al Bahah, Shada Al ‘Ala, 19°51.066’N, 41°18.037’E, 1325 m, 08.xii.2014, (Al Dhafer et al.), 1w; Al Bahah, Shada Al ‘Ala, 19°50.329’N, 41°18.604’E, 1563 m, 15.ii.2014, (Al Dhafer et al.), 1w; Al Bahah, Shada ‘Al Ala, 19°51.762’N, 41°18.089’E, 1225 m, 15.xi.2015, (Al Dhafer et al.), 1w; Dhi Ayn village, 19.931°N, 41.441°E, 728 m, 11.iv.2016, (Sharaf MR), 3w; Dhi Ayn village, 19.929°N, 41.441°E, 741 m, 18.v.2010, (Sharaf MR), 3w; Dhi Ayn village, 19.929°N, 41.441°E, 741 m, 15.v.2011, (Sharaf MR), 2w; Wadi Dafa, near Eiban, 17.374°N, 43.075°E, 888 m, 12.xi.2012, (Sharaf MR), 3w; Al Bahah, Amadan, Al Mandaq, 20.202°N, 41.231°E, 1881 m, 19.v.2010, (Sharaf MR), 1w, (King Saud University Museum of Arthropods).