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Taxonomy and species-groups of the subgenus Crematogaster ( Orthocrema) in the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera, Formicidae).

ABSTRACT: The species-level taxonomy of the subgenus Crematogaster (Orthocrema) in the Malagasy region is evaluated with both morphological data from worker and queen ants, and genetic data from three nuclear markers (long wavelength rhodopsin, arginine kinase and carbamoylphosphate synthase). These two types of data support the existence of six Orthocrema species: Crematogaster madecassa Emery, Crematogaster rasoherinae Forel, Crematogaster telolafysp. n., Crematogaster razanasp. n., Crematogaster volamenasp. n. and Crematogaster mpanjonosp. n.. Two new synonyms of Crematogaster rasoherinae Forel are recognized, Crematogaster rasoherinae brunneola Emery, syn.n. and Crematogaster voeltzkowi Forel, syn. n., as these were not supported as distinct taxa by the data. A neotype is designated for Crematogaster rasoherinae; lectotypes are designated for Crematogaster madecassa, Crematogaster rasoherinae brunneola and Crematogaster voeltzkowi. Species descriptions, images, distribution maps and identification keys based on worker and queen ants are given for all six species. A diagnosis of the subgenus Orthocrema in the Malagasy region is presented for both workers and queens. Within the Malagasy Orthocrema, three distinct phylogenetic lineages are suggested by molecular and morphological data. Newly defined monophyletic species-groups are thus the Crematogaster madecassa-group (Crematogaster madecassa, Crematogaster telolafy and Crematogaster razana) and the Crematogaster volamena-group (Crematogaster volamena and Crematogaster mpanjono); Crematogaster rasoherinae represents an isolated lineage in the Malagasy region and its closest relatives remain unclear. Other interesting biological findings are the presence of an intermediate caste between workers and queens in Crematogaster rasoherinae and Crematogaster madecassa, and unusually large workers in Crematogaster volamena resembling a major caste.

SUBMITTER: Blaimer BB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3368281 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Taxonomy and species-groups of the subgenus Crematogaster ( Orthocrema) in the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera, Formicidae).

Blaimer Bonnie B BB

ZooKeys 20120604 199

The species-level taxonomy of the subgenus Crematogaster (Orthocrema) in the Malagasy region is evaluated with both morphological data from worker and queen ants, and genetic data from three nuclear markers (long wavelength rhodopsin, arginine kinase and carbamoylphosphate synthase). These two types of data support the existence of six Orthocrema species: Crematogaster madecassa Emery, Crematogaster rasoherinae Forel, Crematogaster telolafysp. n., Crematogaster razanasp. n., Crematogaster volame ...[more]

PMID: 22711995

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Project description:The taxonomy of the Tetramorium naganum, T. plesiarum, T. schaufussii, and T. severini species groups are revised for the Malagasy region. A total of 31 species are treated, of which 22 are newly described and nine redescribed. This increases the richness of the hyper-diverse genus Tetramorium in the Malagasy region to 106 species, which makes it the most species-rich genus in the region. Twenty-nine of the treated species are endemic to Madagascar, one is endemic to the Comoros, and one species is found predominantly in Madagascar but also on the island of Reunion. The T. naganum species group contains five species, which are mainly distributed in the rainforests and montane rainforests of eastern and northern Madagascar: T. alperti sp. n., T. dalek sp. n., T. enkidu sp. n., T. gilgamesh sp. n., and T. naganum Bolton, 1979. The T. plesiarum species group holds five species: T. bressleri sp. n., T. hobbit sp. n., T. gollum sp. n., T. mars sp. n., and T. plesiarum Bolton, 1979. All five are arid-adapted species occurring in the southwest and west of Madagascar. The second-most species-rich group in the region is the T. schaufussii species group with 20 species, most of which inhabit rainforests or montane rainforests of eastern and northern Madagascar. This group includes two species complexes each containing ten species: the T. cognatum complex with the species T. aspis sp. n., T. camelliae sp. n., T. cognatum Bolton, 1979, T. freya sp. n., T. gladius sp. n., T. karthala sp. n., T. myrmidon sp. n., T. proximum Bolton, 1979, T. rumo sp. n., and T. tenuinode sp. n.; and the T. schaufussii complex with the species T. merina sp. n., T. monticola sp. n., T. nassonowii Forel, 1892 stat. n., T. obiwan sp. n., T. pseudogladius sp. n., T. rala sp. n., T. schaufussii Forel, 1891, T. sikorae Forel, 1892 (= T. latior (Santschi, 1926)), T. scutum sp. n., T. xanthogaster Santschi, 1911. The last group treated in this study is the T. severini species group, which contains only the species T. severini (Emery, 1895). This very conspicuous species is widely distributed in the rainforests and montane rainforests of eastern and northern Madagascar. All four groups are fully revised with group diagnoses, illustrated species-level identification keys, and detailed descriptions for all species that include multifocused montage images and distribution maps.

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Dataset Information

Taxonomy and species-groups of the subgenus Crematogaster ( Orthocrema) in the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera, Formicidae).

Publications

Taxonomy and species-groups of the subgenus Crematogaster ( Orthocrema) in the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera, Formicidae).

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