Crematogaster lineolata

Nests under logs and in stumps and in acorns and nuts on the ground. Their diet includes dead insects and liquids collected from tended Homoptera, with a decided preference for those kept on plant roots. Crematogaster lineolata is aggressive and can have an annoying bite. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Identification
A member of the Crematogaster scutellaris group.

The workers of this species have numerous hairs on the pronotum, at least two on the mesonotum and usually at least two on the propodeum or propodeal spines. The side of the mesosoma is roughly sculptured with striae and punctures, most surfaces are dull, although the central region of the side of the pronotum may be weakly shining (but still is sculptured). The top of the mesosoma is roughly sculptured with striae/rugae and scattered punctures. The sides or the head are roughly sculptured with striae and scattered punctures, the central region is partially smooth, although is only moderately shining. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Distribution
Eastern United States, west to Colorado and Texas, south into Mexico.

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

Habitat
Oak woodland, deciduous forest and grasslands.

Biology
MacGown (2006) examined ants nesting or occupying hickory nuts in the Tombigbee National Forest (Ackerman Unit), Mississippi. While several hickory species were present, ants were found almost exclusively in the nuts of Carya glabra. Fourteen colonies of Crematogaster lineolata were found, with 198 workers, 184 workers, 136 workers, 116 workers, 85 workers and 1 queen, 80 workers, 79 workers, 72 workers and 1 queen, 57 workers and 1 queen, 46 workers, 24 workers, 13 workers, 5 workers and 1 queen and 4 workers. This suggests that colonies are relatively small (less than a few hundred workers), polydomous (because most nuts lacked queens) and monogynous (because only a single queen was present in each nest). Headley (1943) also reported finding nests of C. lineolata in cavities, but in this case in Oak acorns. While C. lineolata colonies were found with relative ease and in large numbers in the hickory nuts by MacGown (2006), the species was otherwise only rarely encountered in the Tombigbee National Forest when using pitfall and other collecting methods.

Nomenclature

 *  lineolata. Myrmica lineolata Say, 1836: 290 (w.q.m.) U.S.A.Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1952b: 250 (l.).
 * Combination in Atta: Mayr, 1863: 396;
 * combination in Crematogaster: Roger, 1863b: 37;
 * combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 141;
 * combination in C. (Crematogaster): Buren, 1968b: 93.
 * Status as species: Roger, 1863b: 37; Mayr, 1863: 396; Mayr, 1866b: 901 (redescription); McCook, 1880: 187; Mayr, 1886d: 462; Dalla Torre, 1893: 83; Emery, 1895c: 281; Wheeler, W.M. 1904e: 301; Wheeler, W.M. 1906b: 3; Wheeler, W.M. 1908e: 479; Wheeler, W.M. 1916m: 585; Wheeler, W.M. 1919g: 111; Emery, 1922e: 141; Brown, 1949a: 48; Creighton, 1950a: 210; Buren, 1968b: 93 (in key); Smith, D.R. 1979: 1379; Johnson, C. 1988: 319 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 156; Mackay & Mackay, 2002: 95; Coovert, 2005: 61; Ellison, et al. 2012: 239.
 * Senior synonym of columbiana, marylandica, novaeboracensis: Mayr, 1886d: 462.
 * Senior synonym of columbiana: Morgan & Mackay, 2017: 221.
 * Senior synonym of lutescens: Creighton, 1950a: 213.
 * Senior synonym of subopaca: Johnson, C. 1988: 319, 320.
 * Material of the unavailable name wheldeni referred here by Brown, 1949a: 48.
 * columbiana. Myrmica (Monomorium) columbiana Buckley, 1867: 340 (w.q.) U.S.A.
 * Combination in Crematogaster: Mayr, 1886d: 462.
 * Junior synonym of lineolata: Mayr, 1886d: 462; Morgan & Mackay, 2017: 221.
 * Unidentifiable to species: Wheeler, W.M. 1902f: 27.
 * marylandica. Myrmica (Monomorium) marylandica Buckley, 1867: 339 (w.) U.S.A.
 * Junior synonym of lineolata: Mayr, 1886d: 462.
 * novaeboracensis. Myrmica novaeboracensis Buckley, 1867: 337 (q.) U.S.A.
 * Junior synonym of lineolata: Mayr, 1886d: 462.
 * subopaca. Crematogaster lineolata var. subopaca Emery, 1895c: 283 (w.q.m.) U.S.A.
 * Wheeler, G.C, & Wheeler, J. 1952b: 252 (l.).
 * Combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 141.
 * Subspecies of lineolata: Creighton, 1950a: 214; Gregg, 1963: 360.
 * Junior synonym of punctulata: Buren, in Smith, M.R. 1958c: 127; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1380.
 * Junior synonym of lineolata: Johnson, C. 1988: 320.
 * texana. Crematogaster (Acrocoelia) opaca var. texana Santschi, 1929f: 91 (w.) U.S.A.
 * Junior synonym of punctulata: Creighton, 1950a: 214.