Crematogaster (Crematogaster) gerstaeckeri Dalla Torre

Type location Kenya (Cremastogaster Gerstaeckeri m. vor., Dalla Torre, 1892: 90, original description but name replaced as unavailable Cremastogaster cephalotes n. sp., Gerstaecker, 1871: 356; Menozzi, 1930b: 91, illustrated, all forms) from Mombasa - no images on Antweb (January 2015)

All forms described (see Bolton, 1995) .

Gerstaecker's (1871) description of cephalotes is at . Dalla Torre's (1892) renaming of cephalotes is at . Menozzi's (1930b) illustrated description of all forms is at and .

Nigeria specimen (Taylor, 1979: 33) WORKER. TL 3.90 mm, HL 0.96, HW 1.03, SL 0.78, PW 0.59 (in my guide as Crematogaster sjostedti Mayr)
Colour brown, gaster darker. Moderate striations on the lateral mesonotum and propodeum. Relatively dense pilosity and moderately abundant erect hairs. Profile of pro- and mesonotum convex, propodeum on a lower level. Propodeal spines long, straight and acute. Subpetiolar spine reduced or absent.

It seems quite clear that the synonymy given in Bolton (1995: 153), some of which derives from Santschi (1930b: 69), is far from satisfactory. The illustrations provided by Arnold and photographs show major variations in, for instance, length of propodeal spines, scapes and funiculus segments, all being longer in gerstaeckeri than Crematogaster sjostedti. Menozzi's (1930b) illustrated description and the specimens I collected, drew and briefly described from Nigeria seem pretty well matched and, I suggest, represent the type form of gerstaeckeri. The photographed Cameroun 123 specimens also are a good match. Thus, I have separated what appear from the literature to be two distinct species - gerstaeckeri and Crematogaster sjostedti. The synonymy of the single species, "gerstaeckeri", as given in Bolton's Catalogue (1995: 153) can be found at the end of this page.

In Nigeria it nests in dead wood on trees, including cocoa, where it was a rare finding, e.g. Onipe 1/1 Plot K. Tends aphids.

Menozzi's (1930b) specimens were from Somalia, suggesting that the main range is across the northern savannah of sub-Saharan Africa.

It seems quite clear that the original synonymy or "subspecies", some of which derives from Santschi (1930b: 69), is far from satisfactory. The illustrations provided by Arnold show major variations in, for instance, length of propodeal spines.

Menozzi's (1930b) illustrated description and the specimens I collected, drew and briefly described from Nigeria seem pretty well matched and, I suggest, represent the type form. The Cameroun 123 specimens also are a good match.

I have attempted an analysis of the forms listed as gerstaeckeri "subspecies" by Bolton (1995: 153) see  - Crematogaster sjoestedti analysis.

Oxford University Museum specimens

Crematogaster (Crematogaster) gerstaeckeri B Taylor det.	Benin J-F Vayssieres RVA 3097.2	9.xi.2011 Kika-Beterou 09°14'07'' N 02°11'52'' E	On weeds minor	3
Crematogaster (Crematogaster) gerstaeckeri B Taylor det.	Cameroun G Debout & A Dalecky Cameroon 123	15.vi.2001 Poli 8°29' N 13°15' E	30 km east of Poli, in sudano-guinean savannah	3
Crematogaster (Crematogaster) gerstaeckeri B Taylor det.	Sudan Awatif Omer 2013.02.37	Damazeen 11˚47'09" N  34˚20'12" E		2

The photomontage is of workers collected in Cameroun - 30 km east of Poli; collected by McKey Wolbachia project (Cameroon 123).

The photomontage is of workers collected in Benin, Kika-Beterou; collector J-F Vayssieres (RVA 3097).

The photomontage is of workers from Sudan, Damzaine; collector Awatif Omer (2013-2-37).

Crematogaster (Crematogaster) gerstaeckeri Dalla Torre - synonymy etc as given in Bolton (1995).

See also my separation under Crematogaster sjostedti

Type location Kenya (Dalla Torre, 1892: 90, original description but name replaced as unavailable cephalotes Gerstaecker, 1871: 356; Menozzi, 1930b: 91, illustrated, all forms); subspecies godefreyi (Forel, 1914d: 237, worker from South Africa; junior synonym carininotum, Santschi, 1917b: 279, worker,from Zimbabwe) ; rufescens (Santschi, 1919b: 236, worker; Wheeler, 1922: 844) and zulu (Santschi, 1920b: 15, worker & queen; Wheeler, 1922: 855) from South Africa; infaceta (Santschi, 1916b: 498, worker), inquieta (Santschi, 1928d: 65, worker), maledicta (Forel, 1914d: 236, worker & queen), pudica (Santschi, 1916b: 499, worker; Santschi, 1930b: 69) from Zimbabwe; kohliella (Forel, 1916: 409, worker; in Santschi, 1918d: 185)from Zaïre, St. Gabriel, by Kohl, and oraclum (Forel, 1913b: 323, worker) from Zaïre,?Sankisia by J. Bequaert; pulla (Santschi, 1914b: 94, worker; Wheeler, 1922: 844) from Kenya; sjostedti (Crematogaster sjostedti Mayr, 1907b: 17, worker, reverted to the status of a stirps of gerstaeckeri by Santschi, 1930b: 69; also var. tricoloroides, Sanstchi, 1937a: 55, worker, from Kenya) from Tanzania; all forms described (see Bolton, 1995).

Dalla Torre's (1892) renaming of cephalotes is at . Menozzi's (1930b) illustrated description of all forms is at and . Santschi's (1916b) description of bulawayensis is at and Arnold (1920a) gave an illustrated translation of bulawayensis; this is at . Arnold (1920a) gave a translation of carininotum, this is at . Arnold (1920a) gave a translation of foraminicipoides, this is at . Arnold (1920a) gave an illustrated translation of godfreyi, this is at . Arnold (1920a) gave a translation of infaceta and pudica, this is at . Arnold (1920a) gave an illustrated translation of maledicta, this is at . Arnold (1926) gave a translation of bulawayensis varieties rufescens and zulu, this is at . Santschi's (1928d) description of inquieta is at . Forel's (1916) description of kohliella is at 14. Santschi's (1937a) description of tricoloroides is at 15.

It seems quite clear that the synonymy, some of which derives from Santschi (1930b: 69), is far from satisfactory. The illustrations provided by Arnold show major variations in, for instance, length of propodeal spines. Menozzi's (1930b) illustrated description and the specimens I collected, drew and briefly described from Nigeria seem pretty well matched and, I suggest, represent the type form. The Cameroun 123 specimens also are a good match.