CREMATOGASTER MARIONI BUREN, 1968, STAT. REV.

(FIG. 26)

Crematogaster marioni Buren, 1968 b: 105 .

Holotype worker, Morena Lake, San Diego Co., California (W. F. Buren) (LACM) (examined).

Junior synonym of C. emeryana: Morgan & Mackay, 2017: 171; here overturned.

Worker measurements (N = 18): HW 0.72–1.05, HL 0.71–0.98, SL 0.56–0.73, WL 0.81–1.14, MtFL 0.60– 0.82, MSC 4–15, A4SC 19–38, PP-SL/HW 0.08–0.14, CI 1.01–1.09, OI 0.24–0.28, SI 0.69–0.80, MtFL/HW 0.78–0.89, SPL/HW 0.16–0.23, SPTD/HW 0.43–0.56.

Discussion: Crematogaster emeryana and C. marioni exhibit notable differences in morphology, biology and distribution. They also have no close phylogenetic relationship to one another, with C. marioni being sister to C. coarctata, while C. emeryana appears to be a western offshoot of C. lineolata (Fig. 1). The most noticeable distinctions between the two species are as follows:

• Scape length: shorter in C. marioni (SI 0.69–0.80, SL/HL 0.73–0.81, SL/WL 0.64–0.71; N = 18), longer in C. emeryana (SI 0.82–0.89, SL/HL 0.84–0.90, SL/ WL 0.74–0.79; N = 12) (Fig. 46).

• Conspicuous striae on lower mesopleuron: usually present in C. marioni, absent in C. emeryana .

• Standing pilosity on gaster: common in C. marioni (A4SC 19–38), sparser in C. emeryana (A4SC 8–16).

• Nesting habits: arboreal ( C. marioni) vs. grounddwelling ( C. emeryana).

Distribution and biology: Crematogaster marioni is endemic to the California floristic province and occurs from northern California to northern Baja California. It has been recorded from a variety of low- to mediumelevation habitats, including oak woodland, riparian woodland, Quercus – Pinus –Pseudotsuga forest, pine forest/woodland, chaparral and coastal scrub. Nest site records include oak galls; dead branches of Arctostaphylos, Baccharis, Pinus and Quercus and rotten pine logs.