Crematogaster lucayana

Many workers and a single female, collected on Fish Hawk Key and other keys along the course of the Southern Bight in western Andros, and near the Blue Hills in New Providence. In all of these localities the species was common in grass and sedge culms and in the Tillandsias growing on the bushes along the edges of the “swashes.” (Wheeler 1905)

Identification
Wheeler (1905) - C. lucayana is closely allied to Crematogaster sanguinea of Cuba in having the petiole lower in front than behind. It resembles Crematogaster vermiculata of California in sculpturing, but has strongly diverging epinotal spines and longer antennal scapes. Its odor is quite unlike that of Crematogaster lineolata, of which it can hardly be regarded as a mere subspecies.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bahamas.

Nomenclature

 *  lucayana. Crematogaster lucayana Wheeler, W.M. 1905b: 94, figs. G, H (w.q.) BAHAMAS. Combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 141; in C. (Crematogaster): Bolton, 1995b: 166. Subspecies of sanguinea: Wheeler, W.M. 1913b: 490 (in text). Revived status as species: Emery, 1922e: 141. Current subspecies: nominal plus etiolata.

Worker
Length, 2.7-4 mm.

Allied to Crematogaster lineolata. Antennal scape surpassing by fully twice its greatest diameter the posterior angle of the head; club 3-jointed. Clypeus distinctly flattened in front. Frontal area rather indistinct, triangular, narrower than long. At the posterior end of the slender frontal groove there is a very distinct dimple or impression. Thorax strongly constricted in the mesoepinotal region. Epinotal spines straight or but very slightly recurved at their tips, strongly diverging outward, upward, and backward, shorter than the distance between their bases. Petiole from above about as long as broad, in profile distinctly narrower in front than behind. Postpetiole narrower than the petiole, with a deep median groove. Gaster broad, triangular, flattened above.

Mandibles, clypeus, cheeks, and front finely but sharply and longitudinally striated, opaque; vertex somewhat smoother and more shining, with distinct transverse rugae in the occipital region. Thorax opaque; pro- and mesonotum and base of epinotum very coarsely and vermiculately rugose, the rugie being more longitudinal on the base of the epinotum and on the pleurae. Epinotal declivity, petiole, postpetiole, and gaster smooth and shining.

Hairs whitish, rather inconspicuous, mostly appressed on the body and legs, suberect on the antennal scapes, longer and more prominent on the clypeus, front and upper surfaces of the thorax and gaster.

Head and thorax piceous brown, posterior portion of head, antennae, and legs darker; gaster black; in some specimens the basal portions of the gastric segments are more brownish or piceous.

Queen
(dealated). Length, 6.8 mm.

Head sculptured like that of the worker, except the posterior portion, which is sparsely punctate. Upper portion of the thorax subopaque, more sparsely punctate than the back of the head. Meso- and metapleurae sharply and longitudinally rugose. Pilosity like that of the worker. Head, thorax, petiole, postpetiole, and legs dark reddish brown, mesonotum with a yellowish U-shaped blotch on its disc; scutellum and gaster black.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Deyrup M., L. Davis, and S. Buckner. 1998. Composition of the ant fauna of three Bahamian islands. Proceedings of the seventh symposium on the natural history of the Bahamas. 23-32. Bahamian Field Station, San Salvador, Bahamas
 * Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * Morrison L. W. 1998. A review of Bahamian ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) biogeography. Journal of Biogeography 25: 561-571.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1905. The ants of the Bahamas, with a list of the known West Indian species. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 21: 79-135.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1942. Studies of Neotropical ant-plants and their ants. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 90: 1-262.
 * Wheeler, William Morton. 1934. Some Ants From The Bahama Islands. Psyche. 41(4):230-232.