Crematogaster biroi

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Guam, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Northern Mariana Islands. Oriental Region: India, Sri Lanka. Palaearctic Region: China.

Biology
In this and other species belonging to the subgenus Orthocrema, a third caste exists in addition to winged queens and workers; it is intermediate in size, weight and morphology. These individuals are numerically few in the colonies, and lay many unfertilized eggs that are mostly eaten by larvae. Histology confirmed the lack of a spermatheca. Using scanning electron microscopy and ovarian dissections, Peeters et al. (2013) showed that this third caste is a patchwork of queen-like and worker-like traits. It is a soldier caste with a specialized trophic function.

Nomenclature

 *  biroi. Crematogaster biroi Mayr, 1897: 428 (w.) SRI LANKA. Bingham, 1903: 138 (q.); Imai, et al. 1984: 6 (k.). Combination in C. (Orthocrema): Emery, 1922e: 131. Current subspecies: nominal plus andelis, bandarensis, quadriruga, smythiesii.

Additional References

 * [[Media:Peeters etal. ASD2013 Orthocrema.pdf|PEETERS, C., LIN, C.-C., QUINET, Y., MARTINS SEGUNDO, G. & BILLEN, J. 2013: Evolution of a soldier caste specialized to lay unfertilized eggs in Crematogaster ants (subgenus Orthocrema). Arthropod Structure & Development 42: 257-264. PDF]]