Crematogaster rochai

Forms large, polydomous nests that fill all the available nesting cavities within the trees where a colony is found.

Identification
Longino (2003) - This is a member of the crinosa complex and may not always be distinguishable from Crematogaster crinosa and Crematogaster torosa. See under crinosa for further discussion.

In Costa Rica rochai always has the fourth abdominal tergite completely devoid of erect setae, and the anteroventral petiolar process is long and sharp. Costa Rican material also lacks a differentiated dorsal face of the propodeum, but material from central and southern South America develops a stronger propodeal suture, thus approaching the condition in other crinosa group material. Also, southern material often has one to five erect setae on the anterolateral portions of the fourth abdominal tergite.

Distribution
Widespread in Neotropics from southern Mexico to Argentina.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela.

Nomenclature

 *  rochai. Crematogaster rochai Forel, 1903c: 255 (w.q.m.) BRAZIL. [Also described as new by Forel, 1908e: 67.] Combination in C. (Orthocrema): Emery, 1922e: 134. Subspecies of brevispinosa: Forel, 1912f: 213; Gallardo, 1934: 21. Revived status as species: Longino, 2003a: 102. Senior synonym of malevolens: Wild, 2007b: 52.
 * malevolens. Crematogaster (Orthocrema) brevispinosa st. malevolens Santschi, 1919f: 41 (w.) ARGENTINA. Gallardo, 1931b: 298 (q.m.). Raised to species: Longino, 2003a: 131. Junior synonym of rochai: Wild, 2007b: 52.

Worker
Longino (2003) - (Costa Rica) HL 0.851, 0.519, 1.139; HW 0.915, 0.535, 1.238; HC 0.905, 0.509, 1.207; SL 0.559, 0.375, 0.681; EL 0.198, 0.114, 0.257; A11L 0.247; A11W 0.123; A10L 0.110; A10W 0.104; A09L 0.062; A09W 0.078; A08L 0.045; A08W 0.060; WL 0.913, 0.500, 1.259; SPL 0.098, 0.069, 0.158; PTH 0.200, 0.121, 0.265; PTL 0.271, 0.158, 0.407; PTW 0.279, 0.166, 0.343; PPL 0.232, 0.128, 0.286; PPW 0.262, 0.167, 0.352; CI 108, 103, 109; OI 23, 22, 23; SI 66, 72, 60; PTHI 74, 77, 65; PTWI 103, 105, 84; PPI 113, 130, 123; SPI 11, 14, 13; ACI 0.57.

Differing from crinosa and torosa by the following combination of characters: dorsal and posterior face of propodeum in nearly the same plane, such that the propodeal suture appears very shallow with no posterior wall, the propodeum forming a single declivity from the propodeal suture to the petiolar insertion (very large workers have a short dorsal face that drops to propodeal suture); promesonotum strongly arched, not flattened; anteroventral petiolar tooth long, sharply acute, triangular to spine-like; fourth abdominal tergite completely lacking erect setae.

Queen
Longino (2003) - 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
Longino (2003) - Syntype worker, queen, male: Brazil, Ceara (Diaz da Rocha) (examined).