Crematogaster sikkimensis Forel, 2015

Hosoishi, Shingo, 2015, Revision of the Crematogaster ranavalonae - group in Asia, with description of two new species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 42, pp. 63-92 : 82-84

Crematogaster sikkimensis Forel stat. n.

Fig. 34

Crematogaster (Oxygyne) dalyi var. sikkimensis Forel, 1904: 24. Type locality: India, Sikkim.

Type material examined.

Crematogaster (Oxygyne) dalyi var. sikkimensis : lectotype worker (top specimen of three on one pin) by present designation and three paralectotype workers from India, Sikkim ( Möller) (MHNG, examined).

Measurement and indices.

(type workers, n = 4). HW 0.82-0.91; HL 0.80-0.88; CI 102-103; SL 0.72-0.78; SI 83-89; EL 0.17-0.19; PW 0.50-0.56; WL 0.92-1.07; PSL 0.14-0.17; PtL 0.25-0.26; PtW 0.27-0.30; PtH 0.14-0.17; PpL 0.14-0.17; PpW 0.33-0.36; PtHI 60-65; PtWI 108-116; PpWI 212-236; WI 120-130.

General description of worker.

Head appearing subquadratic in front view. Mandible weakly striate, with four teeth, apical and subapincal teeth large, basal two teeth smaller. Scape exceeding posterior corner of head, with appressed setae, each of which is as long as width of scape in length. Compound eye large and slightly projecting beyond lateral margin of head in full face view.

Ventrolateral katepisternal ridge appearing indistinct posteriorly. Propodeal spine long and slender; length longer than spiracle, directed upward; dorsum higher than anterior propodeum. Propodeal spiracle large, situated close to propodeal declivity in lateral view, directed laterally.

In dorsal view, shape of petiole scoop with convex side, as long as broad. Petiolar spiracle big, as wide as half of propodeal spiracle in diameter. In dorsal view, postpetiole broader than long, strongly bilobed laterally, but without longitudinal median sulcus. Postpetiole wider than petiole in dorsal view.

Integument essentially smooth and shiny. Clypeus smooth and shiny without rugulae. Malar region with feable rugulae. Dorsal surface of promesonotum smooth and shiny. Lateral surface of pronotum smooth and shiny. Mesopleuron and lateral propodeum generally shiny, but with longitudinal rugulae. Dorsal surface of propodeum smooth and shiny.

Erect pilosity almost absent. Dorsum of head, clypeus and mesosoma with short and appressed sparse setae. Clypeus with one pair of longer setae on anteriormost portion, directed medially. Anterior clypeal margin with two pairs of longer setae, mixed with some shorter setae on side. No erect setae on pronotal shoulder. Posterolateral tubercle with some decumbent to appressed shorter setae. Ventral surface of petiole with appressed setae. Postpetiole with some shorter setae posteriorly. Fourth abdominal tergite with appressed setae.

Body color brown.

Distribution.

This species is only known from the type locality in India.

Comments.

This species is similar to C. daisyi and C. dalyi , but differs from C. daisyi in having the spiracles on the petiole located on the middle position in lateral view, and from C. dalyi in having long propodeal spines.

Top specimen of three on one pin was designated as lectotype worker here, but it is noted that the body of the middle specimen was lost from the card point.

Figures

Figure 34. Crematogaster sikkimensis [Sikkim, India]. A Lateral view of body B Full face view C Dorsal view of petiole and postpetiole.