Crematogaster nigriceps

One of four ant species (also Crematogaster mimosae, Crematogaster sjostedti, Tetraponera penzigi) that live on Vachellia drepanolobium. This small arboreal ant assemblage, nesting in this dominant Africa savanna tree, have been the subject of intensive research by a large group of ecologists studying species interactions and species co-existence.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Kenya, Somalia. Palaearctic Region: Israel.

Nomenclature

 * . Crematogaster nigriceps Emery, 1897e: 600, fig. (w.) SOMALIA, ETHIOPIA.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Somalia: Banas (Ruspoli) (by restriction of Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 842).
 * [Note: other syntype locality: Ethiopia: Hauacio (Ruspoli).]
 * Type-depository: MSNG.
 * Viehmeyer, 1923: 89 (q.m.).
 * Combination in C. (Crematogaster): Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 842;
 * combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 148.
 * Subspecies of auberti: Finzi, 1940: 160.
 * Status as species: Emery, 1922e: 148; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 842; Viehmeyer, 1923: 89; Menozzi & Consani, 1952: 65; Bolton, 1995b: 158; Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 211; Borowiec, L. 2014: 67 (see note in bibliography).
 * Distribution: Ethiopia, Israel, Kenya, Libya, Somalia, Sudan.
 * Current subspecies: nominal plus prelli, saganensis.

Taxonomic Notes
Taylor & McGavin (2020) treat the subspecies Crematogaster nigriceps prelli and Crematogaster nigriceps saganensis as synonyms of this species but provide no justification. Further studies are needed to confirm the true status for these taxa.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Izhaki I., B. Idelovich, R. Laster, and Y. Ofer. 2009. The impact of macro- vs micro environmental factors on the structure of ant communities inhabiting East-Mediterranean Aleppo pine forests. Israel Journal of Entomology 39: 129-146.
 * Soulié J., and L. D. Dicko. 1965. La répartition des genres de fourmis de la tribu des "Cremastogastrini" dans la faune éthiopienne et malgache. Hymenoptera - Formicoidea - Myrmicidae. Ann. Univ. Abidjan Sér. Sci. 1: 85-106.
 * Stanton, M.L., T.M. Palmer and T.P. Young. 2002. Competition-Colonization Trade-Offs in a Guild of African Acacia-Ants. Ecological Monographs 72(3):347-363
 * Stanton, M.L., T.M. Palmer and T.P. Young. 2005. Ecological barriers to early colony establishment in three coexisting acacia-ant species in Kenya. Insectes Sociaux 52:393-401
 * Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004