Crematogaster kneri

Taylor et al. (2018) reports this species nesting in dead wood and under bark on trees, including cocoa where it was moderately common and would nest in old dry cherelles. It constructs tents of vegetable debris over Homoptera (pseudococcids), and forages on native trees, coffee and kola, Terminalia laxiflora and Acacia dudgeoni.

Identification
A member of the Crematogaster kneri group.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Benin, Ghana, Senegal.

Nomenclature

 * . Crematogaster kneri Mayr, 1862: 764 (w.) GHANA.
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: Ghana (“Gold Coast”): Akwapim Mts (no collector’s name).
 * Type-depository: NMHW.
 * Forel, 1913a: 125 (q.).
 * Combination in C. (Sphaerocrema): Santschi, 1918d: 182.
 * Status as species: Mayr, 1863: 404; Roger, 1863b: 36; Dalla Torre, 1893: 82; Emery, 1895h: 27; Emery 1897e: 598; Forel, 1910e: 433; Forel, 1913a: 125; Arnold, 1920a: 525; Emery, 1922e: 153; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 846; Santschi, 1926b: 224; Menozzi, 1942: 169; Prins, 1963: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 155.
 * Distribution: Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria.
 * Current subspecies: nominal plus behanzini, dakarensis, funerea, pronotalis.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Arnold G. 1920. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part IV. Myrmicinae. Annals of the South African Museum. 14: 403-578.
 * Diame L., B. Taylor, R. Blatrix, J. F. Vayssieres, J. Y. Rey, I. Grechi, and K. Diarra. 2017. A preliminary checklist of the ant (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) fauna of Senegal. Journal of Insect Biodiversity 5(15): 1-16.
 * Forel A. 1910. Note sur quelques fourmis d'Afrique. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 54: 421-458.
 * Forel A. 1913. Fourmis de Rhodesia, etc. récoltées par M. G. Arnold, le Dr. H. Brauns et K. Fikendey. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 57: 108-147.
 * Majer J. D. 1976. The ant mosaic in Ghana cocoa farms: further structural considerations. Journal of Applied Ecology 13: 145-155.
 * Majer J. D. 1976. The influence of ants and ant manipulation on the cocoa farm fauna. The journal of Applied Ecology 13(1): 157-175.
 * Medler J. T. 1980: Insects of Nigeria - Check list and bibliography. Mem. Amer. Ent. Inst. 30: i-vii, 1-919.
 * Prins A. J. 1963. A list of the ants collected in the Kruger National Park with notes on their distribution. Koedoe 6: 91-108.
 * 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.
 * Taylor B. 1979. Ants of the Nigerian Forest Zone (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). III. Myrmicinae (Cardiocondylini to Meranoplini). Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria Research Bulletin 6: 1-65.
 * Taylor B., N. Agoinon, A. Sinzogan, A. Adandonon, Y. N'Da Kouagou, S. Bello, R. Wargui, F. Anato, I. Ouagoussounon, H. Houngbo, S. Tchibozo, R. Todjhounde, and J. F. Vayssieres. 2018. Records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Republic of Benin, with particular reference to the mango farm ecosystem. Journal of Insect Biodiversity 8(1): 006–029.
 * 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