Crematogaster inflata

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Crematogaster inflata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Crematogaster
Species: C. inflata
Binomial name
Crematogaster inflata
Smith, F., 1857

Crematogaster inflata casent0193621 p 1 high.jpg

Crematogaster inflata casent0193621 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Synonyms

Specimens from Sabah were collected from secondary wet forest, in carton on a tree trunk, and from rainforest, on low vegetation. Heterick & Kitching (2022) collected this species in the canopy of a lowland dipterocarp forest in Brunei.


Photo Gallery

  • Crematogaster inflata worker from Mersing, Johor, Malaysia. Photo by Farhan Bokhari.
  • A Crematogaster inflata worker beside the gaster of a much larger Polyrhachis (Mersing, Johor, Malaysia). Photo by Farhan Bokhari.
  • Crematogaster inflata workers attacking Polyrhachis workers (Mersing, Johor, Malaysia). Photo by Farhan Bokhari.

Identification

A member of the Crematogaster inflata species-group. Hosoishi and Ogata (2009) - The bicolored pattern of yellow and red-brown is distinctive and unique to this species. This coloration is possibly a model in Batesian mimicry with other arthropods (Maruyama et al. 2003; Ito et al., 2004).

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 5.016666667° to -2.183333°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore (type locality).
Oriental Region: India, Thailand.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Crematogaster-inflataH5.jpgCrematogaster-inflataL3.2.jpgCrematogaster-inflataD3.2.jpgCrematogaster-inflataLabel.jpg
. Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Hosoishi and Kazuo 2015. Figs 12 – 15. Petiole in dorsal view. 12, Crematogaster osakensis; 13, Crematogaster teranishii; 14, Crematogaster inflata; 15, Crematogaster fraxatrix.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • inflata. Crematogaster inflatus Smith, F. 1857a: 76, pl. 2, fig. 2 (w.) SINGAPORE, BORNEO (East Malaysia: Sarawak).
    • Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Hosoishi & Ogata, 2009b: 23), 4 paralectotype workers.
    • Type-locality: lectotype Singapore: “Sing. 27” (A.R. Wallace); paralectotypes: with same data, and paralectotypes Malaysia: Sarawak, “Sar.”, “Sar. 9” (A.R. Wallace).
    • [Note: Hosoishi & Ogata, 2009b: 23, record only lectotype + 4 paralectotypes; but original syntypes are 8 in number: 5 in OXUM, and 3 in BMNH.]
    • Type-depositories: BMNH, OXUM.
    • Santschi, 1928h: 128 (q.).
    • Combination in C. (Physocrema): Forel, 1912f: 220.
    • Status as species: Smith, F. 1858b: 136; Mayr, 1862: 767; Mayr, 1863: 404; Roger, 1863b: 37; Mayr, 1867a: 106 (redescription); Smith, F. 1871a: 329; Mayr, 1872: 153; Mayr, 1879: 680 (in key); Emery, 1887b: 466; Dalla Torre, 1893: 82; Emery, 1900d: 691; Forel, 1903a: 682; Bingham, 1903: 145; Wheeler, W.M. 1908d: 390; Forel, 1915a: 28; Viehmeyer, 1916a: 126; Wheeler, W.M. 1919e: 75; Emery, 1922e: 140; Santschi, 1928h: 128; Donisthorpe, 1932c: 450; Menozzi, 1932d: 6; Donisthorpe, 1941l: 226 (in key); Chapman & Capco, 1951: 103; Bolton, 1995b: 154; Jaitrong & Nabhitabhata, 2005: 19; Hosoishi & Ogata, 2009a: 5 (redescription); Hosoishi & Ogata, 2009b: 23 (redescription); Pfeiffer, et al. 2011: 45; Bharti, Guénard, et al. 2016: 36; Khachonpisitsak, et al. 2020: 90.
    • Senior synonym of moorei: Hosoishi & Ogata, 2009b: 23.
    • Distribution: India, Indonesia (Java, Kalimantan), Malaysia (Peninsula, Sabah, Sarawak), Myanmar, Philippines (Luzon), Singapore, Thailand.
  • moorei. Crematogaster (Physocrema) moorei Donisthorpe, 1941l: 225 (w.) PHILIPPINES (Luzon I.).
    • Type-material: holotype worker.
    • Type-locality: Philippines: Luzon, Bagnio, 25.ii.1920, BM1922.101 (A. Moore).
    • Type-depository: BMNH.
    • Status as species: Chapman & Capco, 1951: 98; Baltazar, 1966: 251; Bolton, 1995b: 158.
    • Junior synonym of inflata: Hosoishi & Ogata, 2009b: 23.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Hosoishi and Ogata (2009) - 0.86–1.08; HL 0.85–1.05; CI 101–103; SL 0.85–0.96; SI 89–98; EL 0.20–0.22; PW 0.61–0.66; WL 1.18–1.34; PSL 0; PtL 0.32–0.38; PtW 0.23–0.27; PtH 0.16–0.19; PpL 0.18–0.20; PpW 0.24–0.30; PtHI 46–50; PtWI 67–71; PpWI 139–147; WI 106–110 (Three workers measured).

Workers polymorphic in size.

Scape exceeding posterior corner of head even for large workers.

In lateral view, pronotum convex; mesonotum and propodeum forming a single convexity. Anterior margin of pronotal collar distinctly concave in dorsal view. Metanotal groove slightly convex in dorsal median portion, not so deep and situated almost in the same line with the posterior ridge of pronotum in lateral view; thorax not strongly constricted in middle in dorsal view. In dorsal view, no longitudinal rugulae connecting between mesonotum and propodeum; the boundary distinct except for median portion. Propodeal spiracle situated near the metapleural gland orifice, the distance between them about the same as the propodeal spiracle diameter. Propodeal spines absent.

Clypeus smooth and shining without longitudinal rugulae. Integument smooth and shining.

Standing pilosity sparse, some pairs on dorsal face of head and dorsal portion of mesonotum. Dorsal face of head with appressed setae. Clypeus with abundant short and long setae. Fourth abdominal tergite with abundant appressed setae.

Body bicolored with head, promesonotum, petiole, postpetiole, gaster and legs red-brown and with metanotal and propodeal area yellow.

Type Material

Hosoishi and Ogata (2009) - LECTOTYPE worker from SINGAPORE (left Oxford University Museum of Natural History worker of TYPE HYM: 1016 3-4 / 5) (by present designation) and four paralectotype workers: one paralectotype worker from SINGAPORE (Oxford University Museum of Natural History) and three paralectotype workers from MALAYSIA: Sarawak, Borneo (The Natural History Museum) [examined].


The following notes on F. Smith type specimens have been provided by Barry Bolton (details):

Crematogaster inflatus

Five worker syntypes in Oxford University Museum of Natural History, 3 worker syntypes in The Natural History Museum. Labelled “Sar.” “Sar. 9.” and “Sing. 27.” Sarawak and Singapore are both recorded by Smith.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Blaimer B. B. 2012. Acrobat ants go global – Origin, evolution and systematics of the genus Crematogaster (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 65: 421-436.
  • Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
  • Chung A.Y.C., and M. Mohamed. 1996. A comparative study of the ant fauna in a primary and secondary forest in Sabah, Malaysia. In Edwards, D.S. Booth, W.E. and S.C. Choy (eds). Tropical Rainforest Research. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Pp 357-366.
  • Donisthorpe H. 1941. Description of a new species of Crematogaster Lund, subgenus Physocrema Forel, with a list of, and a key to, the known species of the subgenus. Entomologist 74: 225-227.
  • Eguchi K., and S. Yamane. 2003. Species diversity of ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in a lowland rainforest, northwestern Borneo. New Entomol. 52(1,2): 49-59.
  • Emery C. 1887. Catalogo delle formiche esistenti nelle collezioni del Museo Civico di Genova. Parte terza. Formiche della regione Indo-Malese e dell'Australia (continuazione e fine). [concl.]. Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. 25(5): 427-473.
  • Emery, C.. "Catalogo delle formiche esistenti nelle collezioni del Museo Civico di Genova. Parte terza. Formiche della regione Indo-Malese e dell'Australia (continuazione e fine)." Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria (Genova) (2) 5, no. 25 (1887): 427-473.
  • Emery, C.. "Formiche raccolte da Elio Modigliani in Sumatra, Engano e Mentawei." Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria (Genova) (2) 20, no. 40 (1900): 661-722.
  • Fontanilla A. M., A. Nakamura, Z. Xu, M. Cao, R. L. Kitching, Y. Tang, and C. J. Burwell. 2019. Taxonomic and functional ant diversity along tropical, subtropical, and subalpine elevational transects in southwest China. Insects 10, 128; doi:10.3390/insects10050128
  • Forel A. 1915. Fauna Simalurensis. Hymenoptera Aculeata, Fam. Formicidae. Tijdschr. Entomol. 58: 22-43.
  • Hashimoto Y., S. Yamane, and T. Itioka. 1997. A preliminary study on dietary habits of ants in a Bornean rain forest. Japanese Journal of Entomology 65(4): 688-695.
  • Hosoichi S., and K. Ogata. 2009. A taxonomic revision of the Asian endemic subgenus Physocrema of the genus Crematogaster (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 2062: 15-36.
  • Hosoishi S. and K. Ogata. 2009. A check list of the ant genus Crematogaster in Asia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. Inst. Trop. Agr. Kyushu Univ. 32: 43-83.
  • Hosoishi S., and K. Ogata. 2009. A taxonomic revision of the Asian endemic subgenus Physocrema of the genus Crematogaster (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 2062: 15-36.
  • Hosoishi S.; and K. Ogata. 2009. The ant genus Crematogaster Lund, subgenus Physocrema Forel, in the Indochinese Peninsula. Asian Myrmecology 2 (2008): 1-10.
  • Hosoishi, S. and K. Ogata. 2008. The ant genus Crematogaster Lund, subgenus Physocrema Forel, in the Indochinese Peninsula (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Asian Myrmecology 2:1-10.
  • Jaitrong W.; Nabhitabhata, J. 2005. A list of known ant species of Thailand. The Thailand Natural History Museum Journal 1(1): 9-54.
  • Katayama M., K. Kishimoto-Yamada, H. O. Tanaka, T. Endo, Y. Hashimoto, Sk. Yamane, and T. Itioka. 2015. Negative correlation between ant and spider abundances in the canopy of a Bornean tropical rain forest. Biotropica (in press).
  • Menozzi, C. 1932. Formiche dell'Isola di Nias. Misc. Zool. Sumatr. 65: 1-13
  • Mohamed M. 1995. A preliminary list of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Tawau Hills Park, Sabah. In: Ghazally Ismail et al. (eds.), Tawau Hills Park, Sabah, Pelanduk Pub. Pp. 205-213.
  • Pfeiffer M., D. Mezger, and J. Dyckmans. 2013. Trophic ecology of tropical leaf litter ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) - a stable isotope study in four types of Bornean rain forest. Myrmecological News 19: 31-41.
  • Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58
  • Robson Simon Ant Collection, 05-Sept-2014
  • Santschi F. 1928. Fourmis de Sumatra, récoltées par Mr. J. B. Corporaal. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 71: 119-140.
  • Sitthicharoenchai D., and N. Chantarasawat. 2006. Ant species diversity in the establishing area for Advanced Technology Institute at Lai-Nan Sub-district, Wiang Sa district, Nan Province, Thailand. The Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University 6(2): 67-74
  • Smith, F.. "Catalogue of the hymenopterous insects collected at Sarawak, Borneo; Mount Ophir, Malacca; and at Singapore, by A. R. Wallace." Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 2 (1857): 42-88.
  • Suriyapong Y. 2003. Study of ground dwelling ant populations and relationship to some ecological factors in Sakaerat environmental research station, Nakhon Ratchasima. PhD thesis Suranaree University of Technology 203 pages.
  • Tiwari R.N., B.G. Kundu, S. Sheela, and S. N. Ghosh. 2004. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Alfred, J.R.B. [Ed.], Fauna of Manipur, part - 2 (insects). State fauna series 10. Zool.Surv.India.i-v, 1-625. Chapter pagination: 605-625.
  • Trainor C.R., and A.N. Andersen. 2010. The ant fauna of Timor and neighbouring islands: potential bridges between the disjunct faunas of South East Asia and Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 58: 133-144.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1919. The ants of Borneo. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 63:43-147.
  • Widodo E.S., M. Mohamed, and Y. Hashimoto. 2001. Canopy ant diversity assessment in the fragmented rainforest of Sabah, East Malaysia. Nature and Human activities 6: 13-23.
  • Yamane S.; Nona, A. R. 1994. Ants from Lambir Hills National Park, Sarawak. Pp. 222-226 in: Inoue, T.; Hamid, A. A. (eds.) 1994. Plant reproductive systems and animal seasonal dynamics. Long-term study of dipterocarp forests in Sarawak. Kyoto: Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, vii + 255 pp.