Crematogaster laeviuscula

This species nests in wood, or under bark of dead logs (cottonwood), or in oak galls of the wasp Holcaspis cinerosus. Sexuals occur in nests in August. These ants are more aggressive than is typical for North American Crematogaster. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Identification
The workers of this species are predominantly shiny, specifically the head and side of the pronotum are shiny and glossy, the top of the pronotum is shiny, but finely sculptured. The mesopleuron and the sides of the propodeum are punctate or finely striate. The propodeal spines are well developed and long. It is generally light colored, with a pale reddish-yellow head and mesosoma and a darker gaster. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Distribution
Central United States and south into Mexico.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States. Neotropical Region: Mexico.



Habitat
Riparian Forest.

Nomenclature

 * arborea. Oecodoma (Atta) arborea Buckley, 1867: 349 (w.q.) U.S.A.
 * [Unresolved junior secondary homonym of arboreus Smith, F. above.]
 * Junior synonym of lineolata: McCook, 1880: 187; Dalla Torre, 1893: 83.
 * Junior synonym of laeviuscula: Smith, M.R. 1951a: 809; Buren, in Smith, M.R. 1958c: 126.
 * bicolor. Oecodoma (Atta) bicolor Buckley, 1867: 350 (w.) U.S.A.
 * [Junior secondary homonym of bicolor Smith, above.]
 * Senior synonym of clara: McCook, 1880: 188; Mayr, 1886d: 463 [clara oldest synonym and hence first available replacement name.]
 * clara. Crematogaster clara Mayr, 1870b: 993 (w.) U.S.A.
 * Wheeler, W.M. 1908e: 481 (q.m.).
 * Combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 141.
 * Combination in C. (Crematogaster): Buren, 1968b: 92.
 * Junior synonym of bicolor Buckley (junior homonym): McCook, 1880: 188; Mayr, 1886d: 463 and hence first available replacement name.
 * Subspecies of laeviuscula: Dalla Torre, 1893: 83; Wheeler, W.M. 1919g: 111; Enzmann, J. 1946c: 93.
 * Junior synonym of laeviuscula: Creighton, 1950a: 210.
 * Revived from synonymy and revived status as species: Buren, in Smith, M.R. 1958c: 126; Buren, 1968b: 92 (in key); Smith, D.R. 1979: 1378.
 * Junior synonym of laeviuscula: Johnson, C. 1988: 322.
 *  laeviuscula. Crematogaster laeviuscula Mayr, 1870b: 993 (w.) U.S.A.
 * Wheeler, W.M. 1908e: 480 (q.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1952b: 255 (l.); Petralia & Vinson, 1980: 383 (l.).
 * Combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 141.
 * Combination in C. (Crematogaster): Buren, 1968b: 92.
 * Subspecies of lineolata: Emery, 1895c: 284; Wheeler, W.M. 1904e: 301; Emery, 1922e: 141.
 * Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1919g: 111; Creighton, 1950a: 210.
 * Senior synonym of clara: Mayr, 1886d: 463; Creighton, 1950a: 210; Johnson, C. 1988: 322.
 * Senior synonym of arborea: Smith, M.R. 1951a: 809 (provisional); Buren, in Smith, M.R. 1958c: 126.
 * decolorata. Crematogaster (Acrocoelia) castanea var. decolorata Santschi, 1926b: 213 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
 * Junior synonym of arborea: Santschi, 1930b: 69.
 * hespera. Crematogaster (Crematogaster) hespera Buren, 1968b: 98 (w.q.) U.S.A.
 * Junior synonym of laeviuscula: Morgan & Mackay, 2017: 197.
 * atkinsoni. Crematogaster atkinsoni Wheeler, W.M. 1919g: 108, fig. 16 (w.) U.S.A.
 * Wheeler, W.M. 1932a: 9 (q.m.).
 * Combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Creighton, 1950a: 207.
 * Combination in C. (Crematogaster): Buren, 1968b: 92.
 * Junior synonym of laeviuscula: Johnson, C. 1988: 322.
 * See also: Johnson, C. 1988: 316.
 * helveola. Crematogaster atkinsoni var. helveola Wheeler, W.M. 1919g: 109 (w.q.m.) U.S.A.
 * Junior synonym of atkinsoni: Creighton, 1950a: 207.
 * [atkinsoni junior synonym of laeviuscula: Morgan & Mackay, 2017: 197.]
 * [Original q.m. of helveola type-series were misidentified and are correctly ashmeadi: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1377.]
 * cedrosensis. Crematogaster lineolata subsp. cedrosensis Wheeler, W.M. 1934f: 136 (w.) MEXICO.
 * Junior synonym of laeviuscula: Morgan & Mackay, 2017: 197.

Crematogaster lineolata cedrosensis
Eight specimens from Cedros Island (VI.5.'95).

Crematogaster hespera
Phoenix, Arizona

Types: Holotype worker and eleven para type workers from Phoenix, Arizona, July 20, 1918- A. W. Morrill, with the note “attacking unripe peaches, very destructive.” I have another series from Phoenix of ten paratype workers and three females collected Dec. 25, 1895. The latter series was seen by Emery and marked by him as transitional from laeviuscula to cerasi. I have marked as paratypes also numerous specimens from these localities: Big Dalton Canyon, Glendora, Calif.- A. Mallis and J. Schwartz; Col. Desert, Calif. -A. L. Pickens; Glenville, Calif.- A. Wetmore; Pacific Grove, Calif.- W. M. Mann; Sacaton, Ariz.- F. S. Strickney; Nogales, Ruby, and Patagonia, Ariz.- L. F. Byars; Las Cruces, N. Mex.- A. C. Cole; Nogales and Patagonia, Ariz., and Ysleta and El Paso, Tex.- W. F. Buren; Sacramento, Calif.- P. H. Arnaud; Santa Ysabel and Mt. Laguna, San Diego Co., Calif.; Ft. Huachuca, Wickenberg, and Patagonia, Ariz.; and Imuris, Sonora, Mex.- Vv. S. Creighton; and Tempe, Ariz., W. M. Wheeler. A few other paratype specimens are known from "Los Angeles Riv., Calif.," Ventura and Pasadena, Calif., Tucson, Ariz., and Zion Canyon, Utah.

Holotype and many of the above paratype specimens are to be returned to the National Museum. Other para types will be returned to the California Academy of Natural Sciences and to the private collections of Dr. A. C. Cole and Dr. Wm. S. Creighton. I will retain a few paratypes from some of the series and deposit some of the paratypes in the Museum of Comparative Zoology.