Key to Solenopsis queens and males of Egypt

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This queen and male key is based on: Sharaf, M. R., B. Taylor and C. Klingenberg. 2009. Ants of the genus Solenopsis Westwood, 1840 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Egypt with a description of the worker castes of S. cooperi Donisthorpe, 1947. Zootaxa. 2004:49-58.

Gynes are distinguished by the following characters: Larger to much larger than the conspecific worker. Antennae usually 11-segmented, less often 10-segmented, with a 2-segmented club and, usually, one more antennomere than their workers. Head of generalized form, except in parasitic species which have the head broadened anteriorly at the level of the clypeus so that the clypeal carinae are strongly divergent. Propodeum greatly rounded. Petiole node broader than in the worker. Postpetiole broadly attached to the gaster. Males have the following features: Antennae 12-segmented (occasionally 13-segmented); scapes rather short and barrel-shaped. Clypeus rounded and swollen, only shallowly inserted between the antennal sockets; clypeal setae not in clear patterns. Mandibles weakly developed, with only one or 2 teeth. Petiole and postpetiole as in the gyne but postpetiole more broadly attached to the gaster.

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Queens

Q1

  • Body bicoloured with gaster lighter than head and mesosoma, TL 4.50–5.60 . . . . . Q2

Q2

return to couplet #Q1

  • Head, mesosoma, and waist dark brown, TL 5.30–5.60, SI 64–79, CI 88–93 . . . . . Solenopsis lou
  • Head, mesosoma, and waist light brown or yellowish brown, with distinctive large ocelli, TL 4.50–4.75, SI 78–91, CI 73–79 . . . . . Solenopsis cooperi

Males

M1

  • Relatively small but with distinctive large ocelli, overall dark brown with contrasting white funiculi and legs, TL 3.0–3.6, HL 0.50 or less . . . . . Solenopsis cooperi

M2

return to couplet #M1

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