Ants of the Navajo Reservation

The Navajo Reservation covers more than 26,000 square miles, making it larger than 40 of the 50 states within the United States. Navajo land is located between the mountains of Colorado and Utah and the low deserts of Arizona and New Mexico. This region includes a diverse range of habitats from high mountains at more than 10,000 feet, down into deep canyons, numerous mesas, and lower elevation semi-arid deserts. The Navajo Ant Project is dedicated to the discovery of the ant biodiversity on this fascinating land and to integrating traditional Navajo cultural values with the modern scientific method.

Integrating Navajo cultural values with the scientific method: The Navajo Ant Project Ya'at'eeh (Hello). The Navajo Ant Project's goal is to integrate traditional Navajo cultural values with the modern scientific method as it explores the ant biodiversity on the Navajo Reservation.

The Navajo Ant Project is the first comprehensive scientific field study of the distribution and abundance of ants on Navajo Nation land. Harvard University collaborators are contributing expertise in teaching, ant identification, field work, insect photography and experimental design. They are collaborating with Navajo students and Navajo teaching staff to conduct and publish research on the biodiversity of ants. Special habitat areas of interest have been selected as field sites for the study of ant diversity. Different elevations, soil types and plant communities have been chosen to maximize the potential to collect a diverse number of ants. The Navajo ant research team will use the latest in Global Information System (GIS) technology and field collecting techniques to study the role of native ants in the ecology and conservation of biodiversity.

We hope to motivate and encourage Navajo people to study and appreciate the diversity on their lands and to protect and to cherish these resources for future generations.

List of ant species found on the Navajo Reservation (24 genera and 76 species).

Aphaenogaster

 * Aphaenogaster huachucana

Brachymyrmex

 * Brachymyrmex depilis

Camponotus

 * Camponotus bakeri

Crematogaster

 * Crematogaster larreae

Dorymyrmex

 * Dorymyrmex insanus


 * Dorymyrmex species 1

Forelius

 * Forelius pruinosus

Formica

 * Formica argentea

Hypoponera

 * Hypoponera inexorata

Lasius

 * Lasius coloradensis


 * Lasius fallax

Leptothorax
See Key to Leptothorax species of the Navajo Reservation
 * Leptothorax crassipilis

Liometopum

 * Liometopum apiculatum

Messor

 * Messor lobognathus

Monomorium

 * Monomorium cyaneum


 * Monomorium species 1 (social parasite)

Myrmecocystus

 * Myrmecocystus mendax


 * Myrmecocystus mexicanus


 * Myrmecocystus navajo


 * Myrmecocystus romainei


 * Myrmecocystus testaceus

Myrmica

 * Myrmica brevispinosa


 * Myrmica species 1


 * Myrmica species 2

Neivamyrmex

 * Neivamyrmex nyensis

Pheidole

 * Pheidole bicarinata


 * Pheidole ceres


 * Pheidole pilifera

Pogonomyrmex

 * Pogonomyrmex californicus


 * Pogonomyrmex maricopa


 * Pogonomyrmex occidentalis


 * Pogonomyrmex rugosus

Polyergus

 * Polyergus breviceps

Solenopsis

 * Solenopsis molesta


 * Solenopsis xyloni


 * Solenopsis species 1

Stenamma

 * Stenamma californicum


 * Stenamma snellingi

Tapinoma

 * Tapinoma sessile

Temnothorax

 * Temnothorax andrei


 * Temnothorax neomexicanus


 * Temnothorax rugatulus


 * Temnothorax silvestrii


 * Temnothorax tricarinatus


 * Temnothorax species 1

Tetramorium

 * Tetramorium hispidum