Crematogaster navajoa

Identification
Many hairs on the dorsum of the mesosoma, also hairs on pronotum and propodeal spines.

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

Biology
The habitat is pinyon trees, juniper trees, sage brush, cacti, small grass. The soil is very rocky.Found workers foraging under a pine tree, its nest went into the base of the trunk into the earth. The ants had a trail leading a foot away into another nest that was buried by fallen pine needles. Another trail went a couple of feet to a young pine tree that was about 3 feet high, in the upper branches of the pine, ants were tending aphids in multiple places under the tree limps and branches.(Chris Yazzie, pers. comm.).

Colony had multiple queens. Reproductives present in the nest in late June.

Nomenclature

 *  navajoa. Crematogaster (Crematogaster) navajoa Buren, 1968b: 102 (w.q.) U.S.A.

Additional References

 * [[Media:Buren 1968b.pdf|Buren, W. F. 1968b. A review of the species of Crematogaster, sensu stricto, in North America (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Part II. Descriptions of new species. J. Ga. Entomol. Soc. 3: 91-121 PDF]]


 * Mackay, William and Emma. THE ANTS OF NEW MEXICO (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE).Edwin Mellen Press (December 2002). pgs 69-71.