The Ants of Africa
Genus Crematogaster
Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pauciseta Emery

Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pauciseta Emery

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server} Type location Cameroun (Crematogaster pauciseta n. sp., Emery, 1899e: 485, illustrated, worker & queen; Forel, 1913e: 669, male) collector Conradt - see below
junior synonyms (here)
grossulior (Cremastogaster pauciseta Em. r. grossulior n. stirps, Forel, 1916: 404, worker) from Zaïre, St Gabriel, Kohl - see below
pulchella (Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pulchella n. sp., Bernard, 1952: 230, illustrated, worker & queen) type location Guinea, Mt Nimba - see below.

All forms described (see Bolton, 1995) .


{Crematogaster pauciseta}Emery's (1899e) description is at {original description}. Forel's (1916) description of grossulior is at {original description}.

Forel (1913e) reported the collection of the worker, queen and male by Conradt, from Cameroun, and that he could not say that the small brown male, with hyaline wings, TL 3.0 mm, was of the species.

Wheeler (1922) also had pauciseta from Kilalonga, near St Gabriel, Zaïre, by Kohl; reported by Forel (1915c) as on nectaries of an Acacia (place spelt Kilongalonga).

Bernard (1952) examined the type specimens, including queens, in Forel's collection (in Paris).

TL > 2.5 mm; colour of head and thorax yellow-orange, gaster clear brown, sometimes yellowish anteriorly. Compared with pulchella - antennal funiculus more slender and segment 2 twice as long as wide, following segments 1.5 times as long as wide; petiole similar but gaster flatter and less voluminous than the thorax, finely reticulated and only slightly shiny (after Bernard, 1952, in his notes on pulchella).


{Crematogaster pauciseta}The photomontage of the holotype worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0904490.


{Crematogaster grossulior}The photomontage of the grossulior type worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0908362.


{Crematogaster pauciseta male}The photomontage of the probable male is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=focol0780.

Oxford University Museum specimens

Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pauciseta
B Taylor det.

Cameroun
A Fotso Kuate
Crematogaster sp14

17.vii.2007
Awae II
03°54'30" N
11°25'58" E
Quadrat in fallow
2
{album}
Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pauciseta
B Taylor det.

Cameroun
G Debout & A Dalecky
Cameroon 118

18.iv.2001
Kouedjina
3°55' N
13°45' E
.
2
{album}
Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pauciseta
B Taylor det.
Queen
Central African Republic
P Annoyer
NS
24.xi.2010
Dzanga-Sangha
2°28'49.5"N
16°12'55.9"E
392 m; nuit : 18h - 6h, UV, Azobée, sol, camp de base lac 1
1
{album}

Crematogaster pauciseta workerThe photomontage is of a worker from Cameroun; Awae II; collector A Fotso Kuate (fk crematogaster sp14).


Crematogaster pauciseta queenThe photomontage is of a probable queen from Central African Republic;  Dzanga-Sangha; collector Philippe Annoyer (CAR NS).

Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pulchella Bernard

Type location Guinea (Bernard, 1952: 230, illustrated, worker & queen). Collected at Mt. Nimba; 6 workers from forest at Mount Tô; 10 workers (also many cotypes in alcohol), 1 dealated queen and 1 ergatoid female from same, ravine 1, station B2.41; 4 workers from scrub on the crest of Nion (Lamotte) - see below


{Crematogaster pulchella}Bernard's (1952) description is at {original description}.

TL 2.3-2.5 mm; head, thorax and petiole shiny clear yellow, with few hairs. Head sometimes a little browner, small and rounded; antennal scape short, second segment of funiculus just ¼ longer than wide, segments 4-6 twice as long as wide. Petiole longer than wide, clear yellow, slighty dilated and angular anteriorly. Gaster voluminous, clearly cordiform, entirely pure black, very shiny and not reticulated (after Bernard, 1952).

Bernard (1952) remarked how the workers were similar to those of pauciseta but the queens differ strongly, most closely resembling Crem. natalensis (from South Africa) (having examined the type specimens in Forel's collection, in Paris); and sharing the unusual ergatoid female morph. There were distinct differences between the queens of pulchella and natalensis. The ergatoid of pulchella was about twice the size of the worker but otherwise similar in colour, etc.

Clypeus large and slightly convex, no frontal triangle. The dorsal alitrunk has very distinct sculpturation with three longitudinal carinae - the lateral carinae extending back at the metanotal groove to produce pseudospines. The metanotal declivity is vertical dropping to a right angle with the propodeum. The latter has a flat dorsum on a much lower level than the promesonotum. Propodeal spines long, sharp and slightly upturned. The propodeal spiracle is set distinctly removed from the base of the spines and is rearward facing with a sclerotised rim. Lateral petiole thick and spiculate; postpetiole also spiculate. Pronotal angles each with a distinctive long thick erect hair. All of the very few erect hairs are long and slightly spatulate.


{Crematogaster pulchella} The photomontage of the holotype worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0913653.


Oxford University Museum specimens

Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pulchella
B Taylor det.

Cameroun
G Debout & A Dalecky
Cameroon 118

18.iv.2001
Kouedjina
3°55' N
13°45' E
.
2
{album}

{Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pulchella}The photomontage is of specimens collected in Cameroun - Cameroon 118, 15.ii.2001, Kouedjina (3°55' N, 13°45' E, altitude 692 m), extreme south-east (McKey Wolbachia project).

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© 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018 - Brian Taylor CBiol FRSB FRES
11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.

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