Crematogaster striaticeps

Distribution
Sharaf et al. (2019): This species was described from Algeria and is also found in the neighboring countries of Tunisia and Lybia (Borowiec 2014; Guénard et al. 2017; Janicki et al. 2017). In the Arabian Peninsula, it has been recorded from the KSA (Collingwood 1985).

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

Nomenclature

 * . Crematogaster laestrygon var. striaticeps Forel, 1909c: 104.
 * Type-material: holotype (?) worker.
 * [Note: no indication of number of specimens is given.]
 * Type-locality: Algeria: Tlemcen (K. Escherich).
 * Type-depository: MHNG.
 * [First available use of Crematogaster auberti r. laestrygon var. striaticeps Forel, 1902g: 462 (w.) ALGERIA; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * Santschi, 1937e: 308 (q.m.).
 * Combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 142.
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Stitz, 1917: 341; Ruzsky, 1905b: 497; Emery, 1912e: 659; Emery, 1922e: 142; Emery, 1926: 2; Karavaiev, 1927b: 105; Santschi, 1929c: 100; Santschi, 1934f: 167; Weber, 1943c: 345 (in list).
 * Subspecies of laestrygon: Santschi, 1937e: 308; Menozzi, 1940: 268; Bolton, 1995b: 163.
 * Status as species: Sharaf, Aldawood & Hita Garcia, 2019: 71.
 * Distribution: Algeria, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia.

Taxonomic Notes
Sharaf et al. (2019): Crematogaster striaticeps was originally described as a subspecies of Crematogaster laestrygon but herein we treat this taxon as a good species. The main difference responsible for the decision to raise C. striaticeps to the specific rank is the presence of dense longitudinal striations on the entire cephalic surface whereas C. laestrygon has a smooth cephalic surface and longitudinal striations are feebly developed and restricted to the area in front of eyes.

We have been hesitant with this decision since both taxa are similar to other Afrotropical or Mediterranean Crematogaster taxa and it is not clear which taxonomic status they may assume after a thorough revision of the genus. However, since we established that C. laestrygon and C. striaticeps are not the same taxon, we propose to separate them by raising the latter to species rank to achieve clarity of their status for the Arabian region and future studies of its fauna.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Karavaiev V. 1927. Myrmekologische Miszellen. Ezheg. Zool. Muz. 27: 104-112.
 * Menozzi, C.. "Contributo alla fauna della Tripolitania." Bollettino del Laboratorio di Zoologia Generale ed Agraria, Portici 31 (1940): 244-273.
 * Santschi, F. 1937. Contribution à l'étude des Crematogaster paléarctiques. Memoires de la Société Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles 5: 295-317.
 * Santschi, F.. "Contribution à l'étude des Crematogaster paléarctiques." Mém. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat. 5 (1937): 295-317.