Crematogaster aegyptiaca

Distribution
Sharaf et al. (2019): This species was originally described from Egypt and can be found in most most countries of North Africa but also in Sudan and Kenya (Guénard et al. 2017; Janicki et al. 2017). For the Arabian Peninsula, it was recorded from the KSA, Oman, the UAE, and Yemen (Borowiec 2014; Collingwood 1985, Collingwood and Agosti 1996; Collingwood et al. 2011; Sharaf et al. 2018).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates. Palaearctic Region: Egypt, Oman.

Nomenclature

 * . Crematogaster aegyptiaca Mayr, 1862: 765 (w.) EGYPT.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Egypt: (no further data).
 * Type-depository: NMHW.
 * [Misspelled as egyptiaca by Santschi, 1914a: 432.]
 * Combination in C. (Crematogaster): Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 828;
 * combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 144;
 * combination in C. (Crematogaster): Bolton, 1995b: 166.
 * Status as species: Mayr, 1863: 404; Roger, 1863b: 36; Emery, 1881b: 535; André, 1883b: 392 (in key); Dalla Torre, 1893: 79; Emery, 1893f: 256; Forel 1910c: 257; Karavaiev, 1911: 8; Emery, 1922e: 144; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 828, 1022; Finzi, 1939a: 155; Collingwood, 1985: 260; Bolton, 1995b: 146; Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 329; Mohamed, Zalat, et al. 2001: 50; Cagniant, 2005: 10; Cagniant, 2006a: 197; Collingwood, et al. 2011: 424; Borowiec, L. 2014: 64 (see note in bibliography); Sharaf, Aldawood & Hita Garcia, 2019: 39.
 * Distribution; Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
 * Current subspecies: nominal plus pharaonis, robusta, turkanensis.

Taxonomic Notes
Sharaf et al. (2019): As for Crematogaster acaciae (and many other taxa), the taxonomic condition of this species is relatively unclear due to the absence of any revisions in the regions in question, and we cannot predict the taxonomic status of C. aegyptiaca and its subspecies after being revised. However, based on our experience with this species, it is readily identifiable and we are very confident of the Arabian material being genuine C. aegyptiaca.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Ahmad G. M. M., and M. I. Basuony. 2003. Taxonomy and biodiversity of ant fauna of the Mediterranean coastal desert (Western desert-Egypt). J. Egypt. Ger. Soc. Zool. 42E: 69-83.
 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Cagniant, H. 2006. Liste actualisée des fourmis du Maroc. Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8: 193-200.
 * Cagniant, H.. "Les Crematogaster du Maroc (Hym., Formicidae). Clé de détermination et commentaires." Orsis 20 (2005): 7-12.
 * Collingwood C. A., D. Agosti, M. R. Sharaf, A. Van Harten, 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod Fauna of the UAE 4: 405-474
 * Collingwood C.A., D.Agosti, M.R. Sharaf, and A. van Harten. 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod fauna of the UAE, 4: 405474
 * Collingwood, C. A., and Donat Agosti. "Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of Saudi Arabia (Part 2)." Fauna of Saudi Arabia 15 (1996): 300-385.
 * Finzi B. 1939. Materiali zoologici dell'Eritrea raccolti da G. Müller durante la spedizione dell'Istituto Sieroterapico Milanese e conservati al Museo di Trieste. Parte III. Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Atti del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Trieste 14: 153-168.
 * Forel A. 1910. Ameisen aus der Kolonie Erythräa. Gesammelt von Prof. Dr. K. Escherich (nebst einigen in West-Abessinien von Herrn A. Ilg gesammelten Ameisen). Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 29: 243-274.
 * Karavaiev V. 1911. Ameisen aus Aegypten und dem Sudan. Rus. Entomol. Obozr. 11: 1-12.
 * Mohamed, S., S. Zalat, H. Fadl, S.Gadalla and M. Sharaf. 2001. Taxonomy of ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) collected by pitfall traps from Sinai and Delta region, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Natural History 3:40-61
 * Orabi G. M., F. M. Semida, M. S. Abdel-Dayem, M. R. Sharaf, and S. M. Zalat. 2011. Diversity patterns of ants along an elevation gradient at St. Catherine Protectorate, South Sinai, Egypt (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zoology in the Middle East 54(1): 101-112.
 * Sharaf M. R., B. L. Fisher, H. M. Al Dhafer, A. Polaszek, and A. S. Aldawood. 2018. Additions to the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Oman: an updated list, new records and a description of two new species. Asian Myrmecology 10: e010004
 * Sharaf M. R., S. A. Aldawood, and F. Hita Garcia. 2019. Review of the Arabian Crematogaster Lund (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), synoptic list, distribution, and description of two new species from Oman and Saudi Arabia. ZooKeys 898: 27-81
 * Soulié J., and L. D. Dicko. 1965. La répartition des genres de fourmis de la tribu des "Cremastogastrini" dans la faune éthiopienne et malgache. Hymenoptera - Formicoidea - Myrmicidae. Ann. Univ. Abidjan Sér. Sci. 1: 85-106.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004