Crematogaster vermiculata

The ant is found in but is not confined to cypress trees. It will utilize various hardwoods and shrubs close to standing water. I have several sizable nest series and all individuals of each colony express the C. vermiculata characters. (Johnson 1988)

Identification
Johnson 1988 - A reticulate pattern of ridges on thoracic dorsum gives a wrinkled, rugose texture, the most conspicuous sculpture in eastern species. Pubescence of head, thorax and gaster appressed, typical thoracic pubescence sparse. One or two fine, erect hairs on each humeral shoulder of pronotum. Propodeal spines short, SL/DB < 1.0; in dorsal view, outer and inner spine margins converge to direct apices straight to the rear; in lateral view, spine shape variable but apices directed obliquely upward. As with other species, the Florida specimens are typically blackish with bicolored specimens occurring northward.

Distribution
Johnson 1988 - Occurs through the Coastal Plain from North Carolina into Florida south at least into Marion County. Records are currently unavailable in northwest Florida but it has been reported from Louisiana and Arkansas.

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



Nomenclature

 *  vermiculata. Crematogaster vermiculata Emery, 1895c: 286 (w.) U.S.A.
 * Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1960b: 13 (l.).
 * Combination in C. (Acrocoelia): Emery, 1922e: 141.
 * Combination in C. (Crematogaster): Buren, 1968b: 91.
 * Subspecies of coarctata: Creighton, 1950a: 209.
 * Revived status as species: Buren, 1968b: 91 (in key); Johnson, C. 1988: 323.
 * Senior synonym of colei, opuntiae, rossi: Morgan & Mackay, 2017: 396.
 * Material of the nomen nudum coachellai referred here by Brown, 1949a: 48.
 * colei. Crematogaster (Crematogaster) colei Buren, 1968b: 108 (w.q.) U.S.A.
 * Junior synonym of vermiculata: Morgan & Mackay, 2017: 396.
 * opuntiae. Crematogaster (Crematogaster) opuntiae Buren, 1968b: 120 (w.) U.S.A.
 * Junior synonym of vermiculata: Morgan & Mackay, 2017: 396.
 * rossi. Crematogaster (Crematogaster) rossi Buren, 1968b: 111 (w.q.) MEXICO.
 * Junior synonym of vermiculata: Morgan & Mackay, 2017: 396.

Crematogaster colei
Holotype worker and paratype workers and females from Wooten, New Mexico. They are labeled “Wooten, Sacramento Mts., N.M., 7500 ft., July 4, 1917, Wheeler.” The holotype and several paratypes will be deposited in the National Museum and others will be sent to the Cornell Univ. collection. I also have seen a number of paratype workers from each of the following stations: Montezuma Pass, Huachuca Mts., Ariz.- 6600 feet, under stone in oak-pinyon forest. Cottonwood Cany. Pass, Guadalupe Mts., New Mexico- 5800 feet, under stone, oak-pinyon forest. Miller Cany., Pic. Gr., Huachuca Mts., Ariz. - 6000 feet, oak-pinyon forest. Ash Cany., Huachuca Mts., Ariz.- 6500 ft., under stone, oak-pinyon forest. All of these collected by Dr. L. F. Byars. Numerous paratypes are also known from the following localities, all of these collected by Dr. A. C. Cole, Jr., 14 mi. west of Horse Springs, N. Mex., 7,350 ft., nest under stone in semidesert bordering yellow piue. Embudo, N. Mex., 5,850 ft. semidesert grassland, running on soil. Galesto, N. Mex., 6,050 ft., semidesert shrub area, nest under stone (specimens mixed with punctulata, possibly some sort of mixed colony?—or two nests under the same stone?) Seven miles west of Magdalena, N. Mex., 6,850 ft., nest under stone, semidesert grassland. I have also captured this species on a number of occasions, and have marked specimens from these localities as para types; near McDonald Observatory, Davis Mts., Texas, under rocks; 15 mi. N. of Ruidosa, N. Mex. under rocks in open pasture; and near Luna, N. Mex., in pinyon pine, juniper, grassland. Paratypes also will be sent to the Museum of Comparative Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, California Academy of Natural Sciences, and to the private collection of Dr. A. C. Cole, Univ. of Tennessee. I will retain paratypes from as many of the series as possible.

Crematogaster opuntiae
I have chosen a worker collected in the Santa Rita Experimental Range, near Continental, Ariz. to be the holotype, and this locality becomes the type locality.

The species is known to me from the following localities and specimens from these have been marked as para types: Santa Rita Experimental Range, E. of Continental, Ariz., several series, W. F. Buren; on route 89 in New Mexico close to Arizona border, Buren; 10 mi. E. of Benson, Ariz., Buren; in Texas Canyon E. of Benson, Ariz., Buren; 50 mi. E. of Ajo, Ariz. on Ajo Road, Buren; Saguaro National Monument, E. of Tucson, Ariz., Buren; Sill, Ariz., Buren; 5 mi. S. of Oracle Junction, Ariz., Wm. S. Creighton; near Papago Reservation Boundary on Ajo Road, Ariz., Buren; Portal, Ariz., Creighton and Buren; 30 mi. N. of Tucson, Buren; 15 mi. E. of Globe, Ariz., Buren; Organ Pipe Nat. Mon., Buren; Abra Wash, Organ Pipe Nat. Mon., Creighton; Benson, Ariz., W. M. Wheeler; and Tucson, Ariz., W. M. Wheeler.

Crematogaster rossi
I have before me the holotype worker and nineteen paratype workers and four paratype females from San Jose del Cabo, Baja California, and three paratype workers from Tepic, State of Nayarit, Mexico. Most of these will be returned to the U. S. National Museum but a few will be retained in my collecton. I also have seen a series of females from Triunfo, Baja California, and a single worker from Triunfo, Michelbacker and Ross, collectors.