Crematogaster moelleri

Identification
Longino (2003) - This species shares most of the characters of Crematogaster crinosa relatives (face with sparse erect setae over short appressed pubescence, sparse erect setae on mesosomal dorsum, short upturned propodeal spines) but differs in the presence of long flexuous rather than short stiff setae on the mesosomal dorsum. Similar Costa Rican species are crinosa, Crematogaster torosa, Crematogaster rochai, and Crematogaster erecta. The flexuous dorsal setae differentiate it from the first three. Crematogaster erecta has flexuous setae on the pronotal humeri but the other dorsal setae are short and stiff. Also, erecta has a general habitus difference: the propodeal spines are a bit thinner and longer and the size polymorphism less pronounced.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica.

Nomenclature

 *  moelleri. Crematogaster brevispinosa r. moelleri Forel, 1912f: 214 (w.m.) BRAZIL. Longino, 2003a: 88 (q.). Combination in C. (Orthocrema): Emery, 1922e: 134; Santschi, 1923c: 250. Raised to species: Longino, 2003a: 86.

Worker
Longino (2003) - HL 0.908, 0.702, 0.921; HW 0.996, 0.812, 1.031; HC 0.933, 0.738, 0.989; SL 0.710, 0.570, 0.709; EL 0.174, 0.172, 0.170; A11L 0.303; A11W 0.136; A10L 0.125; A10W 0.120; A09L 0.082; A09W 0.090; A08L 0.074; A08W 0.078; WL 0.993, 0.786, 1.038; SPL 0.138, 0.102, 0.153; PTH 0.208, 0.179, 0.224; PTL 0.243, 0.180, 0.266; PTW 0.238, 0.196, 0.209; PPL 0.201, 0.161, 0.229; PPW 0.233, 0.203, 0.255; CI 110, 116, 112; OI 19, 25, 18; SI 78, 81, 77; PTHI 86, 99, 84; PTWI 98, 109, 79; PPI 116, 126, 111; SPI 14, 13, 15; ACI 0.75.

Color red brown, gaster darker.

In face view head subquadrate, about as wide as long, with emarginate posterior margin; mandibles shiny, smooth or with faint striae; clypeus convex, smooth and shiny; scapes falling short or just attaining posterior margin of head when laid back from insertions; terminal three to four segments of antenna gradually lengthening and broadening, becoming increasingly densely pubescent, terminal two segments very much larger than proximal segments, so that antennal club appears two-segmented; scapes with abundant long subdecumbent to suberect pubescence, with no differentiated long erect setae; face with abundant long subdecumbent to suberect pubescence, 1-5 medium length filiform erect setae on face posterior to frontal carinae; malar spaces and space between eyes and antennal insertions with fine longitudinal striae, rest of face smooth and shining.

Promesonotal profile forming a single convexity, mesonotum slightly elevated posteriorly, dropping abruptly to propodeal suture (not elevated, sloping gradually to suture in Braulio Carrillo worker); propodeal suture deep in dorsal view but not visible in lateral view due to lateral carinulae that bridge the suture, these carinulae with small denticle (carinulae reduced and lacking denticle on Braulio Carrillo worker, such that propodeal suture more v-shaped in lateral view); dorsal and posterior faces of propodeum in same plane, sloping from propodeal suture to petiolar insertion, anterior half of face faintly and irregularly punctatorugose, becoming smooth and concave posteriorly; propodeal spines upturned, medium length, narrowly acute and spiniform; promesonotal dorsum with weak sculpture, usually with more or less longitudinally oriented rugulae or striae, interspaces smooth and shining; side of pronotum faintly striate anteriorly, becoming smooth and shining posteriorly; katepisternum punctatorugose (punctate on Braulio Carrillo specimen), sublucid; side of propodeum faintly longitudinally striate or etched ventrally, smooth dorsally; promesonotal dorsum with 7-11 medium length flexuous setae, those on pronotal humeri longest; anterodorsal propodeum with 0-1 erect flexuous setae; femora and tibiae with abundant subdecumbent pubescence, no erect setae.

Petiole in lateral view subtrapezoidal, sublucid, with faint microsculpture; anteroventral petiolar tooth strongly developed, triangular, acute, with blunt tip (tooth smaller on Braulio Carrillo worker); dorsal face of propodeum smooth and shiny, subquadrate, about as wide as long, sides flat to somewhat convex, widest point of petiole about midlength; posterolateral tubercles each with an erect posteriorly directed seta; postpetiole with small sharp ventral denticle (lacking on Braulio Carrillo worker), globular to subquadrate in dorsal view, about as long as wide, posterior margin rounded to emarginate, with 2-8 erect setae; fourth abdominal tergite smooth and shining, with sparse subdecumbent to suberect pubescence and abundant long erect setae that are evenly distributed across tergite, erect setae stiffer than those on mesosoma.

Queen
Longino (2003) - (Costa Rica) A normal queen (dorsal face of propodeum drops steeply from postscutellum and much of propodeum appears ventral to scutellum and postscutellum) with general shape, sculpture, and pilosity characters of the worker; size characters as in Figures.

Type Material
Syntype worker, male: Brazil, Santa Catarina, Blumenau (Möller) (examined).