Crematogaster scutellaris

An extremely common, arboreal species reported from the Maghreb to western Russia (Rigato & Toni, 2011).

Identification
Head shining yellowish red contrasting with the brown alitrunk and dark gaster. Antennae 11 segmented. Length: 3.5-5.0 mm (Collingwood 1979).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Andorra, Austria, Balearic Islands, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iberian Peninsula, Israel, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey.

Biology
Collingwood (1979) - This arboricolous species is frequently introduced with cork from South Europe or North Africa and has on occasion established itself temporarily in and around warehouses and cork factories in England.

Nomenclature

 *  scutellaris. Formica scutellaris Olivier, 1792: 497 (w.) FRANCE. Mayr, 1855: 469 (q.m.). Combination in Crematogaster: Mayr, 1855: 469; in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 143; in C. (Crematogaster): Bolton, 1995b: 166. Senior synonym of rediana, rubriceps, ruficeps: Mayr, 1855: 469; of haematocephala: Roger, 1863b: 36; of grouvellei, lichtensteini: Bernard, 1967: 164; of corsica, degener: Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990a: 137. Material of the unavailable name hybrida referred here by Baroni Urbani, 1964a: 4. See also: Emery, 1912e: 652; Stitz, 1939: 128; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 79; Kutter, 1977c: 88; Radchenko, 2007: 33. Current subspecies: nominal plus alii, nigra (unresolved junior homonym), tenuispina.
 * haematocephala. Formica haematocephala Leach, 1825: 291 (w.q.m.) FRANCE. Junior synonym of scutellaris: Roger, 1863b: 36.
 * rediana. Myrmica rediana Gené, 1841: 399 (w.) ITALY. Junior synonym of scutellaris: Mayr, 1855: 469.
 * rubriceps. Myrmica rubriceps Nylander, 1849: 44 (w.) ITALY (Sicily). Junior synonym of scutellaris: Mayr, 1855: 469; Radchenko, 2007: 33.
 * ruficeps. Acrocoelia ruficeps Mayr, 1853a: 147 (w.) AUSTRIA. Junior synonym of scutellaris: Mayr, 1855: 469.
 * grouvellei. Crematogaster scutellaris var. grouvellei Bondroit, 1918: 115 (w.q.) FRANCE. Junior synonym of scutellaris: Bernard, 1967: 164.
 * lichtensteini. Crtematogaster scutellaris var. lichtensteini Bondroit, 1918: 114 (w.) FRANCE. Junior synonym of scutellaris: Bernard, 1967: 164.
 * corsica. Crematogaster scutellaris var. corsica Santschi, 1921b: 435 (w.) FRANCE (Corsica). Junior synonym of scutellaris: Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990a: 137.
 * degener. Crematogaster scutellaris var. degener Santschi, 1937e: 310 (w.) TUNISIA. Junior synonym of scutellaris: Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990a: 137.

Additional References

 * Rigato, F.; Toni, I. 2011. Short notes 21. Hymenoptera, Formicidae. Pp. 873-882 in: Nardi, G.; Whitmore, D.; Bardiani, M.; Birtele, D.; Mason, F.; Spada, L.; Cerretti, P. (eds.) 2011. Biodiversity of Marganai and Montimannu (Sardinia). Research in the framework of the ICP Forests network. Conservazione Habitat Invertebrati, 5. Sommacampagna, Verona: Cierre Edizioni, 896 pp.