Crematogaster degeeri Forel 1886
Creators: name: Blaimer, Bonnie B.
name: Fisher, Brian L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Formicidae
Crematogaster
Crematogaster degeeri

description: Key to the workers of the C. degeeri -species-assemblage in the Malagasy region   
 1. Propodeal spines absent, reduced to small tubercules or denticles (as in Figs 10E; 12C; 13B; 18C; 20B), or short triangular spines (as in Fig. 17C) with SPI <0.07; if very rarely propodeal spines spiniform and longer (SPI 0.08 - 0.10) (as in Fig. 6B), then small species (HW 0.72 - 0.88, WL 0.79 - 0.91), color dirty-yellow, montane rainforest habitats....................................................................... 2   
– Propodeal spines longer, distinctly spiniform (as in Figs 7B; 8B; 10B; 15B; 22B) and SPI> 0.07; size and color variable; all habitats.................................................................................................... 9  
2. Eyes small (OI <0.21) and largely confluent with lateral head margin (as in Fig. 12A; 13A; 18A).... 3  
– Eyes larger (OI> 0.20) and distinctly protruding from lateral head margin (as in Figs 6A; 17A; 20A)......6  
 3. Pronotum dorsally with a distinct median longitudinal groove (Fig. 4E), medium to large species (HW 0.98 - 1.43, WL 0.98 - 1.48).............................................................................. C. mafybe sp. nov.   
– Pronotum dorsally without median longitudinal groove (as e.g. Figs 4F; 18D), size variable........ 4  
 4. Propodeum with spines absent or at most small tubercules (SPI 0.00)........... C. lobata Emery, 1895   
– Propodeum with short triangular spines or sharp minute denticles................................................... 5  
 5. Antennal scapes very short (SI 0.67 - 0.75), not reaching head margin (as in Fig. 18A); mesonotum usually with posterolateral denticles (as in Fig. 18C)......................................... C. masokely sp. nov.   
 – Antennal scapes variable, but usually longer (SI 0.69 - 0.82) and about reaching head margin (as in Fig. 10A, D); mesonotum usually without posterolateral denticles (as in Fig. 10B, E)............................................................................................................ C. dentata Dalla Torre, 1893 stat. nov. [part]   
 6. Eyes very large (OI 0.24 - 0.29), situated above midline of head in full-face view (as in Fig. 20A); antennal scapes mostly longer (SI 0.77 - 0.87), reaching or surpassing head margin; bicolored: head and thorax yellowish to dark orange, metasoma with A4-7 brown or black (as in Fig. 20B, C)..................................................................................................................... C. sewellii Forel, 1891   
 – Eyes mostly smaller (OI 0.20 - 0.26), usually situated at midline of head in full-face view (as e.g. Figs 6A; 10A, D; 17A); antennal scapes variable, but often shorter (SI 0.69 - 0.83), just about or not reaching head margin (as e.g. Figs 6A; 10A, D; 17A); color variable.............................................. 7   
 7. Propodeum usually distinctly set off from promesonotum in lateral view (Figs 6B; 17C) and often with posterolateral denticles; promesonotum with sparse erect pilosity (<8 setae); petiole often much wider than long (PTWI 1.18 - 1.52), and strongly flared (as in e.g. Fig. 3C)............................ 8   
 – Propodeum not distinctly set off from promesonotum (in lateral view) (Fig. 10B, E), never with distinct posterolateral denticles; promesonotum usually with abundant erect pilosity (>8 setae); petiole not much wider than long (PTWI 0.95 - 1.31), moderately flared (Fig. 3D)................................................................................................................... C. dentata Dalla Torre, 1893 stat. nov. [part]   
 8. Medium-sized species (HW 0.86 - 1.03, WL 0.92 - 1.08); propodeal spines short and triangular (SPI 0.03 - 0.07); pronotum with sharp lateral margins (Fig. 5A)................................ C. malahelo sp. nov.   
 – Small species (HW 0.72 - 0.88, WL 0.79 - 0.91); propodeal spines longer (SPI 0.06 - 0.10); pronotum lacking sharp lateral margins (Fig. 5B)................................................................. C. alafara sp. nov.   
9. Body color dirty to bright yellow (as in Fig. 7B, 15B).................................................................... 10  
 – Predominant color either orange (as in Fig. 20B), brown (e.g. as in Fig. 19C) or black (e.g. as in Fig. 8B)....................................................................................................................................................11   
 10. Medium to large species (HW 0.87 - 1.03, WL 0.98 - 1.22); antennal scapes very long (SI 0.91 - 1.01), easily surpassing head margin (as in Fig. 7A)............................................................ C. bara sp. nov.   
 – Small species (HW 0.60 - 0.86, WL 0.66 - 0.93); antennal scapes short (SI 0.71 - 0.83), not or about reaching head margin (as in Fig. 15A).................................................................... C. maina sp. nov.   
 11. Head distinctly broader than long (CI 1.10 - 1.19) (as in Fig. 22A); propodeal spines longer (SPI 0.10 - 0.26); tricolored: orange-red, yellow and black (as in Fig. 22C) C. tricolor Gerstäcker, 1859 stat. rev.   
 – Head not much broader than long (CI 1.01 - 1.13); propodeal spines shorter (SPI <0.16); (as e.g. Figs 8A; 10A, D; 19A); uniformly colored or bicolored......................................................................... 12   
 12. Mesonotum often with posterolateral denticles (Fig. 5C); in lateral view distinctly set off from propodeum (Fig. 5C); eyes large (OI 0.22 - 0.26); propodeal spines longer (SPI 0.10 - 0.16); erect pilosity on promesonotum often sparse (<8 long erect setae) (as e.g. Figs 5C; 8B)........ C. degeeri Forel, 1886   
 – Mesonotum variable, but more often without posterolateral denticles, and thus in lateral view not as distinctly set off from promesonotum (Fig. 5D); erect pilosity usually more abundant (> 8 long erect setae) (as in Fig. 5D, E); propodeal spines shorter (SPI <0.12)..................................................... 13   
 13. Propodeum with a distinct short dorsal face, and with a transverse impression (Fig. 5E); sculpture on pronotum carinulate or reticulate (Fig. 5E); petiole oval, fairly slender; (PTWI 0.95 - 1.14); propodeal spines longer (SPI 0.07 - 0.12)............................................................................... C. ramamy sp. nov.   
 – Propodeum usually without a distinct dorsal face, never with transverse impression (Fig. 5F); sculpture on propodeum rugulose or aciculate (Fig. 5F); petiole variable, but often wider (PTWI 0.95 - 1.31); propodeal spines usually shorter (SPI 0.01 - 0.10)........... C. dentata Dalla Torre, 1893 stat. nov. [part]    Key to the queens of the C. degeeri -species-assemblage in the Malagasy region   
1. Small queens (HW <1.30, WL <2.20)............................................................................................. 2  
 – Large queens (HW> 1.30, WL> 2.20)............................................................................................. 5   
 2. Head shape variable, but usually elongate, appearing longer than wide (CI 0.94 - 1.03) (as in Figs 6F; 11A; 16A); eyes smaller (OI <0.32), situated below midline of head in full-face view (as in Figs 6F; 11A; 16A); antennal scapes shorter, often not surpassing level of lateral ocelli (SI <0.67).............. 3   
 – Head shape square, appearing as wide as long (CI 1.06); eyes larger (OI> 0.33), situated at midline of head in full-face view (as in Fig. 20D); antennal scapes longer, surpassing level of lateral ocelli (SI> 0.68) (as in Fig. 20D);............................................................................ C. sewellii Forel, 1891   
3. Body color brown.............................................................................................................................. 4  
 – Body color yellow.................................................................................................... C. maina sp. nov.   
 4. Very small species (HW 1.01, WL 1.68); head sculpture finely reticulate; ocelli small and protruding very little from head surface (as in Fig. 6F).......................................................... C. alafara sp. nov.   
 – Larger species (HW 1.13 - 1.41, WL 1.73 - 2.43); head sculpture aciculate-shiny; ocelli distinctly protruding from head surface (as in Fig. 11A)............. C. dentata Dalla Torre, 1893 stat. nov. [part]   
 5. Antennal scapes long, surpassing lateral ocelli easily and almost reaching head margin (SI> 0.76) (as in Fig. 7F); body color yellow.............................................................................. C. bara sp. nov.   
 – Antennal scapes shorter (SI <0.74) (as in Figs 8D; 13D; 22D); body color other than yellow....... 6   
 6. Eyes small (OI 0.23 - 0.26); antennal scapes very short (SI 0.57 - 0.59) (as in Fig. 13D); large queens (HW 1.70 - 2.18, WL 2.56 - 3.44); color black.......................................................... C. mafybe sp. nov.   
 – Eyes usually larger (OI 0.25 - 0.33) (as in Figs 8D; 22D); antennal scapes mostly longer (SI 0.57 - 0.74) (as in Figs 8D, 22D); usually smaller queens (HW 1.30 - 1.77, WL 2.20 - 2.69); color variable, usually not black................................................................................................................................ 7   
 7. Head distinctly wider than long (CI 1.14 - 1.21) (as in Fig. 22D); tricolored: reddish-orange, yellow and black (as worker in Fig. 22C); or at least abdominal segment 4 dorsally with a yellowish patch (as in Fig. 22F).......................................................................... C. tricolor Gerstäcker, 1859 stat. rev.   
 – Head shape variable, but usually not much wider than long (CI <1.10) (as in Fig. 8D); uniformly colored............................................................................................................................................... 8   
 8. Eyes situated at about midline of head in full-face view (as in Fig. 8D); antennal scapes longer (SI 0.68 - 0.72), surpassing level of lateral ocelli.................................................... C. degeeri Forel, 1886   
 – Eyes situated below midline of head in full-face view (as in Fig. 11A); antennal scapes shorter (SI 0.57 - 0.67), not surpassing level of lateral ocelli.......................... C. dentata Dalla Torre, 1893 [part]
description: Published as part of Blaimer, Bonnie B. & Fisher, Brian L., 2013, Taxonomy of the Crematogaster degeeri-species-assemblage in the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), pp. 1-64 in European Journal of Taxonomy 51 on pages 11-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2013.51, http://zenodo.org/record/3820535