armyoforigin: Crematogaster sp. Queen (17. Jun 2009 18:41)

Hey all,

Just received an unidentified Crematogaster queen from China, and despite her appearance she apparently ISN'T C. osakensis....

So I am kinda stumped... =S any help would be good, all I have so far is that she is osakensis, maybe a related offshoot? Or C. smithi?

Those are the only ants I can see that look similar!

My camera is out of commission so here is the picture off of the site where I bought her (I am not advertising, just trying to show the queen ) :

http://antsectopia.com/catalog/popup_image.php?pID=117

(Pictures are for identification purposes only, I don't own the images)

C. osakensis: (Found on google, fair use should apply to all the images)
http://white.ap.teacup.com/camponotus/timg/middle_1190121781.jpg
http://white.ap.teacup.com/camponotus/timg/middle_1190121692.jpg

C. Smithi: (Myrmecos.net copyright Alex Wild)
http://myrmecos.net/myrmicinae/CreSmi2.html

The queen is about ~8mm long, about the same size as my lasius niger queen but not as bulky.

She arrived in a pretty banged up test tube so I had to change her tube so she lost the little brood she has, hoping she lays soon and does well, she is a really beautiful ant, identification may be easier once some workers hatch...

Any help would be great, I cant even find a descent list of Chinese ants, let alone a picture identification chart!

Cheers guys!

P.s. please tell me if I am using the images wrong or doing anything I am not supposed to, don't wanna get in trouble lol.