Crematogaster rufotestacea

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Crematogaster rufotestacea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Crematogaster
Species: C. rufotestacea
Binomial name
Crematogaster rufotestacea
Mayr, 1876

Crematogaster rufotestacea casent0912780 p 1 high.jpg

Crematogaster rufotestacea casent0912780 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Synonyms

This hypogaeic ant is very common on the mainland in the vicinity of Margaret River, Pemberton and Augusta, where it forms populous colonies under stones deeply imbedded in the soil (Wheeler 1934). Colonies are often found in cryptic situations such as inside rotting logs or within moss (Heterick 2009).

Identification

Heterick (2009) - A small, yellowish-and-brown species in which the promesonotum is often smooth and shining.

Wheeler (1934) - The brown females measure 7-8 mm. and are very large compared with the yellow workers, which are only 2-2.5 mm. in length. The female larvae are nearly spherical.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -24.96535° to -31.89499°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

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

Images from AntWeb

Crematogaster dispar casent0908375 h 1 high.jpgCrematogaster dispar casent0908375 p 1 high.jpgCrematogaster dispar casent0908375 d 1 high.jpgCrematogaster dispar casent0908375 l 1 high.jpg
Syntype of Crematogaster disparWorker. Specimen code casent0908375. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Nomenclature

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

  • rufotestacea. Crematogaster rufotestacea Mayr, 1876: 109 (w.) AUSTRALIA (New South Wales).
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: Australia: New South Wales, Sydney (no collector’s name).
    • Type-depository: NHMW.
    • Emery, 1914b: 184 (q.); Crawley, 1922c: 23 (m.).
    • Combination in C. (Orthocrema): Emery, 1922e: 133.
    • Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 85; Forel, 1902h: 412; Emery, 1914b: 184; Emery, 1922e: 133; Crawley, 1922c: 23; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 63; Taylor, 1987a: 23; Bolton, 1995b: 161.
    • Senior synonym of dentinasis: Heterick, 2021: 13.
    • Senior synonym of dispar: Heterick, 2021: 13.
    • Distribution: Australia.
  • dentinasis. Crematogaster (Orthocrema) rufotestacea st. dentinasis Santschi, 1929f: 89 (w.q.m.) AUSTRALIA (New South Wales).
    • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens, syntype males (numbers not stated).
    • Type-locality: Australia: New South Wales, Mittagong (Froggatt).
    • Type-depository: NHMB.
    • Subspecies of rufotestacea: Taylor & Brown, 1985: 63; Taylor, 1987a: 23; Bolton, 1995b: 151.
    • Junior synonym of rufotestacea: Heterick, 2021: 13.
  • dispar. Crematogaster sordidula r. dispar Forel, 1902h: 412 (w.q.m.) AUSTRALIA (Victoria).
    • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype males (numbers not stated), 1 syntype queen.
    • Type-locality: Australia: Victoria, Bendigo (Froggatt).
    • Type-depositories: ANIC, MHNG.
    • Combination in C. (Orthocrema): Emery, 1922e: 132.
    • Subspecies of sordidula: Wheeler, W.M. 1909a: 27; Forel, 1910b: 31; Forel, 1915b: 54.
    • Status as species: Emery, 1922e: 132; Wheeler, W.M. 1934d: 145; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 61; Taylor, 1987a: 22; Bolton, 1995b: 152; Heterick, 2009: 147.
    • Junior synonym of rufotestacea: Heterick, 2021: 13.

Type Material

Taxonomic Notes

Heteric (2021): Santschi distinguishes the worker of his subspecies Crematogaster rufotestacea dentinasis (Santschi) based on size, minor differences in the appearance of the vertex, the clypeal denticles and the metanotal groove, and the smaller eye. Based on the appearance of type images for both taxa, these differences should be regarded as trivial. Crematogaster rufotestacea is also clearly the senior synonym of C. dispar Forel.

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Clay R. E., and K. E. Schneider. 2000. The ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) fauna of coastal heath in south-west Victoria: effects of dominance by Acacia sophorae and management actions to control it. Pacific Conservation Biology 6: 144-151.
  • Forel A. 1910. Formicides australiens reçus de MM. Froggatt et Rowland Turner. Rev. Suisse Zool. 18: 1-94
  • Wheeler W. M. 1934. Contributions to the fauna of Rottnest Island, Western Australia. No. IX. The ants. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 20: 137-163.