Crematogaster (Crematogaster) senegalensis Roger

Type location Senegal (Cremastogaster senegalensis nov. spec. Roger, 1863a: 206, worker & queen) collector Sichel - no type images on Antweb (August 2016)
junior synonyms (here)
robusta (Cremastogaster robusta n. sp., Emery, 1877b: 379, queen & male; Emery, 1915g: 10, worker) from Eritrea, Keren, Beccari - see below (queen)
devincta (Cremastogaster aegyptiaca Mayr stirps senegalensis Rog. v. devincta n. var., Santschi, 1914d: 343, worker) from Guinea, Conakry by F. Silvestri - see below
targuia (Crematogaster (Acrocoelia) aegyptiaca Mayr stirps senegalensis Rog. v. targuia n.v., Santschi, 1929e: 148, worker) from Algeria, Sahara, Lagouhat, 8.viii.1919, Dumont - see below.
worker and queen only described (see Bolton, 1995) .

Roger's (1863a) description is at . Emery's (1877b) description of robusta is at . Santschi's (1914d) description of devincta is at . Emery's (1915g) further note on robusta is at . Forel's (1922) description of goliathula is at . Santschi's (1929e) description of targuia is at . Quite why Santschi (1914d) chose to reduce senegalensis to a subspecies of Crematogaster aegyptiaca from the original recognition by Roger is not clear.

The Antweb images of the robusta queen (see below) appear to support the likelihood of robusta being a synonym of senegalensis.

Note: there is quite considerable variation, particularly in colour, between the workers shown below and a detailed study might lead to separation into two or more species.

Crematogaster (Cr.) goliathula (Crematogaster senegalensis Rog. r. goliathula n. stirps, Forel, 1922: 93, worker) from Angola appears to be a distinct species, with a fresh specimen from Cameroun, of the forest zone (?), with a near flat pronotum, longer more upwardly angled propodeal spines, a distinct anterior ventral tooth on the petiole, etc.

Forel (1891c: 193) gave a description in his report of ants from Madagascar. Forel does not seem to have examined any specimens from there, as he gave no Madagascar locations, simply noting that "M. André had received the species from Madagascar (brownish examples)" - see . I cannot find any mention among André's publications. There are examples of specimens from the Forel collection shown on Antweb, e.g. from Gambia - see https://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0173209

Bernard (1950b) gave an illustration of the typical form and an all-brown variety from Aïr (central Niger); later (1952), he noted that it had been known for some 20 years from the sudanese and niger regions, also from Sahara. Monard had since found it in Angola, and the Mt. Nimba, Guinea, specimens, being brownish rather than red, represented a transition between those countries. Mainly found at Zouépo, 1215 m, sites F33 & B8-10; several workers came from Mount Tô (T 225); it reached 1500 m at Aïr (central Niger). He felt that this was one of the rare forms from Nimba which derived from the Sudan massif and not more southern regions.

Collingwood (1985), reporting it from Saudi Arabia, noted this is a brightly coloured species, head and alitrunk red, gaster brilliant with fine sparse pubescence; with the head wider than long, comparatively long funiculus segments and broad, strong, sharp, propodeal spines. Workers were taken among tree roots in the immediate vicinity of a clump of trees.

The photomontage of the targuia type from Algeria is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0912723.

The photomontage of the devincta type from Guinea is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0912722.

Oxford University Museum specimens

The photomontage is of a worker from Senegal, Ferlo, collector B Ndiaye. This appears to match the Roger type description.

The photomontage is of a range of workers from Niger, Tondibiah from an Acacia bush, collected by David M King (King 50).

The photomontage is of a worker from Sudan, collected by J Mathews, by pyrethrum fogging of Acacia senegal;  Kordofan, El Ain, near El Obeid, ca. 2°56' N 30°35' E, JM 059, 22.x.2000, 1 worker. Same location 6 other trees (JM 077, JM 084, JM 085, JM 086, JM 087 (ca 30 workers) and JM 088 (33 workers)

The photomontage is of a worker from Benin; from Batcham; 3.ix.2008 ; coll. A Fotso Kuate (fk unmounted 23).

This matches the Santschi determined specimen above.

Queen The photomontage of the robusta queen is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent09057602.

The photomontage of an all brown form worker (major?) (comparing to the Bernard brown form in colour and general shape) is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0173208.

The photomontage of an all brown form specimen (comparing to the Bernard brown form in colour and general shape) is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0104592.