On a Problem of M. Kambites Regarding Abundant Semigroups

Communications in Algebra, 40(12) (2012), 4439–4447
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00927872.2011.610072 (preprint - http://arxiv.org/pdf/1006.3677)

A semigroup is regular if it contains at least one idempotent in each ?-class and in each ?-class. A regular semigroup is inverse if it satisfies either of the following equivalent conditions: (i) there is a unique idempotent in each ?-class and in each ?-class, or (ii) the idempotents commute. Analogously, a semigroup is abundant if it contains at least one idempotent in each ?*-class and in each ?*-class. An abundant semigroup is adequate if its idempotents commute. In adequate semigroups, there is a unique idempotent in each ?* and ?*-class. M. Kambites raised the question of the converse: in a finite abundant semigroup such that there is a unique idempotent in each ?* and ?*-class, must the idempotents commute? In this note, we provide a negative answer to this question.