Redescription of Crematogastercypria Santschi, 1930, new status, with description of two new related species from Greece and Turkey (Hymenoptera, Formicidae).

Sebastian Salata,Lech Borowiec

doi:10.3897/zookeys.505.9566

Abstract

Crematogaster (Crematogaster) jehovae var. cypria Santschi, 1930 is raised to species rank. Two new, related species are described from the north-eastern part of the Mediterranean Basin: Crematogaster (Crematogaster) erectepilosa sp. n. (Dodecanese, Greece) and Crematogaster (Crematogaster) gullukdagensis sp. n. (Antalya Prov., Turkey). These three species are well distinguished from other species of the subgenus Crematogaster of the north-eastern part of the Mediterranean Basin in their first gastral tergite bearing numerous erect setae. Colour photographs of all taxa are provided, a key to the species of Crematogaster cypria group and species groups of the Crematogaster s. str. from the north-eastern Mediterranean region are given and a list of Crematogaster s. str. described from this region is provided (see Appendix).

Highlights

The genus Crematogaster Lund, 1831, a member of the subfamily Myrmicinae, is one of the most speciose ant genera
The following ant species were recorded in the same area: Aphaenogaster olympica Borowiec & Salata, Camponotus gestroi Emery, Camponotus honaziensis Karaman & Aktaç, Camponotus ionius Emery, Camponotus jaliensis Dalla Torre, Camponotus kiesenwetteri (Roger), Crematogaster ionia Forel, Crematogaster sordidula (Nylander), Lepisiota nigra (Dalla Torre), Messor orientalis (Emery), Messor wasmanni Krausse, Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Plagiolepis pallescens sensu Radchenko, Tapinoma simrothi Krausse, Temnothorax exilis (Emery), Temnothorax recedens (Nylander), and Temnothorax solerii (Menozzi)
The following ant species were recorded in the same area: Aphaenogaster karpathica Boer, Aphaenogaster olympica Borowiec & Salata, Camponotus ionius Emery, Camponotus jaliensis Dalla Torre, Camponotus kiesenwetteri (Roger), Camponotus lateralis (Olivier), Crematogaster sordidula (Nylander), Lepisiota nigra (Dalla Torre), Messor wasmanni Krausse, Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Plagiolepis pallescens sensu Radchenko, Plagiolepis taurica Santschi, Tapinoma simrothi Krausse, Temnothorax exilis (Emery), Temnothorax semiruber (André), and Tetramorium cf. punctatum

Summary

Introduction

The genus Crematogaster Lund, 1831, a member of the subfamily Myrmicinae, is one of the most speciose ant genera. Crematogaster oasium Santschi, distributed from Algeria to Saudi Arabia, is a similar species, but differs in having very short propodeal spines forming denticles (in C. cypria the spine is distinct, approximately twice as long as wide at its base) and the dorsum of the pronotum is distinctly dull (shiny in C. cypria).

Results

Conclusion