Crematogaster flaviventris

Identification
Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - HW 1.21; SI 85. This is a member of the Crematogaster castanea complex distinguished by the yellowish gaster contrasting with the brown head and alitrunk. The propodeal spines are sharp and well developed with a downward curvature.

Distribution
Sharaf et al. (2019): Crematogaster flaviventris was originally described from the Democratic Republic of Congo and is also found in Angola, Zambia, and southern Sudan (Guénard et al. 2017; Janicki et al. 2017). On the Arabian Peninsula, it seems to be restricted to Yemen (Collingwood and Agosti 1996; Blaimer 2012a; Borowiec 2014).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Democratic Republic of Congo.

Nomenclature

 *  flaviventris. Crematogaster flaviventris Santschi, 1910c: 370 (w.q.m.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. Subspecies of inversa: Santschi, 1914b: 86; of castanea: Santschi, 1935a: 257. Revived status as species: Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 330.

Taxonomic Notes
Sharaf et al. (2019): This species record for Yemen is somewhat dubious. We have not examined the type material but preliminary examination of type images on AntWeb suggest that the material from Yemen is similar in color but there appear to be substantial differences in overall surface sculpture. This needs to be further investigated, ideally by comparing the Yemeni material with the type from Central Africa.