Contents M¤iscellaneous ants - Iran
SUBFAMILY FORMICINAE - Genus Crematogaster
Crematogaster (Sphaerocrema) n. sp. IR19

Crematogaster (Sphaerocrema) n. sp. IR19

return to listIran list Type location Iran, Isfahan Kasham, Maragh, Kh. Nasiri, 10 May 2012.

Worker: TL ca 4.2 mm, HW 1.00, HL 1.04, EL 0.24, SL 0.88, PW 0.64, CI 96, SI 88.  Placed in Sphaerocrema by virtue of the entire dorsum to the postpetiole. Propodeal spines upturned

Presumably the form identified by C A Collingwood as Crematogaster (Sphaerocrema) luctans. As the type images and fresh specimens from Africa show that is quite distinct from this Iran species.

It seems highly possible also that this is the species Collingwood (1985, illustrated dorsal view of petiole) reported from Saudi Arabia as Cr. luctans. He noted the species lives within the hollow twigs of dead acacia branches; "it is characterised [among Arabian species] by the yellow colour and well developed propodeal spines", plus "the rounded unindented postpetiole". That cannot be verified at present, however. The key in Collingwwod & Agosti (1996) Has 1. Postpetiole entire ... 2. 2. Body colour yellow propodeal spines long .. Cr. luctans.


{Crematogaster n sp Iran IR19}The photomontage of the potential type worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0910243

© 2017 - Brian Taylor CBiol FRSB FRES
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