Crematogaster masokely

Crematogaster masokely is highly endemic to the littoral forests of eastern Madagascar, with the exception of one peculiar disjunct distribution in the tsingy of the SF Beanka on the west coast. The species co-occurs with Crematogaster tricolor, Crematogaster maina, Crematogaster dentata and Crematogaster ramamy. No colony collections of this species have been made, therefore nothing is known of its biology. (Blaimer and Fisher 2013)

Identification
A member of the Crematogaster degeeri group. Blaimer and Fisher (2013) - Crematogaster masokely can be distinguished from the rest of the C. degeeri-assemblage by a combination of the following characters: small eyes (OI 0.17-0.20), short antennal scapes (SI 0.67-0.75) and a tuberculate or denticulate mesonotum.

Key to Crematogaster degeeri group workers

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  masokely. Crematogaster masokely Blaimer, in Blaimer & Fisher, 2013: 46, fig. 18 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
(n = 11) [holotype] HW 0.72-0.91 [0.85]; HL 0.66-0.91 [0.83]; EL 0.13-0.18 [014]; SL 0.48-0.62 [0.60]; WL 0.74-0.95 [0.88]; SPL 0.01-0.06 [0.03]; PTH 0.15-0.19 [0.15]; PTL 0.21-0.29 [0.27]; PTW 0.23-0.34[0.27]; PPL 0.12-0.19 [0.15]; PPW 0.19-0.28[0.24]; LHT 0.49-0.67 [0.63]; CI 0.99-1.09 [1.02]; OI 0.17-0.20 [0.17]; SI 0.67-0.75 [0.72]; SPI 0.01-0.06 [0.04]; PTHI 0.57-0.74 [0.57]; PTWI 1.01-1.23 [1.01]; PPI 1.39-1.75 [1.59]; LBI 1.33-1.68 [1.39].

Small (HW 0.72-0.91, WL 0.74-0.95). Masticatory margin of mandibles with four teeth; head shape more or less quadrate (CI 0.99-1.09); posterior margin of head in full-face view laterally angular or subangular, sometimes medially depressed; occipital carinae usually distinct; antennal scapes usually short, not reaching or surpassing head margin; midline of eyes situated at midline of head in full-face view; eyes small (OI 0.17-0.20), and confluent with lateral head margin in full-face view. Pronotum laterally angular; promesonotal suture usually indistinct, mesonotum more or less forming one plane with pronotum; mesonotum usually without distinct posterior face; laterally mesonotum angular, ending in small posterolateral denticles or tubercules, that set mesonotum off from propodeum; metanotal groove fairly shallow, laterally constricted; propodeum with small denticles or tubercules (SPI 0.01-0.06); dorsal face of propodeum short to indistinct, posterior face of propodeum gently sloping; petiole in dorsal view broadly oval, concave, without dorsolateral carinate margins and posterolateral tubercules or denticles; subpetiolar process variable, usually small angular dent; postpetiole bilobed with a narrow median impression; subpostpetiolar process absent. Head sculpture aciculate; promesonotum reticulate to aciculate; mesopleuron areolate, dorsal face of propodeum carinulate to reticulate; otherwise sculpture reticulate to aciculate; erect pilosity on face sparse, usually four longer setae, and regular, short, appressed to suberect pubescence; promesonotum usually with ten long erect setae, and very sparse, appressed to subdecumbent pubescence; petiole and postpetiole usually with a pair of short erect setae posterolaterally, and sparse appressed pubescence; abdominal tergites four to seven with scattered short erect pilosity, ventrally more abundant, and regular appressed to decumbent pubescence throughout. Color medium to dark brown.

Type Material
Holotype Worker: pinned, CASENT0068954, BLF12840(9), ex sifted litter [imaged on Antweb]; original locality label: MADG’R: Toamasina: Ambohidena, 20 m, 24 Nov. 2005, 16º49.46’S, 49º57.85’E, littoral forest, Fisher et al., BLF12840; deposited at. Paratypes Workers not designated, due to the small number of existing specimens. MADAGASCAR: Toamasina: Ile St. Marie, Foret Ambohidena: -16.82433, 49.96417, 20 m, littoral forest.

Etymology
Crematogaster masokely is named after the species’ small eyes: maso is Malagasy for “eye” and kely means “small.” The name is treated as a noun in apposition.