Crematogaster navajoa

Crematogaster navajoa nests at the base of desert plants or under logs.

Identification
The workers of this species have abundant, long (about 0.25 mm), erect hairs on the pronotum and mesonotum, with somewhat fewer hairs on the dorsum of the propodeum and the propodeal spines. The side of the pronotum is finely sculptured with striae or poorly defined punctures, but mostly smooth and shiny. The side of the mesosoma and propodeum are covered with striae intermixed with punctures. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Distribution
Arizona and New Mexico.

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

Field Observations
Chris Yazzie - 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. 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.