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Solenopsis abjectior
| Solenopsis abjectior | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Solenopsidini |
| Genus: | Solenopsis |
| Species complex: | molesta |
| Species: | S. abjectior |
| Binomial name | |
| Solenopsis abjectior Pacheco & Mackay, 2013
| |
Known only from the type material. The type series was collected in the nest of Pheidole taurus Emery (but in a separate chamber) (Forel1909).
Identification
A New World thief ant that is a member of the molesta species complex. (Key to New World Solenopsis Species Complexes)
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) – Worker - This species is concolorous yellow, with a densely and coarsely punctate head. The shape of the petiole is very distinct, with the anterior and posterior faces being nearly parallel. The minor funicular segments 3-8 are short (0.09mm).
The densely and coarsely punctate head separates it from the species allied to Solenopsis decipiens, which also occurs in Buenos Aires. Additionally, the shape of the petiole is very distinct, with the anterior and posterior faces being nearly parallel. It appears to be more closely related to the pollux subgroup, with shorter funicular segments. The semi-coarsely punctate head also distinguishes this taxon from all of the others that are related to Solenopsis pollux.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Known only from the type locality of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina (type locality).
Distribution based on AntMaps
Distribution based on AntWeb specimens
Check data from AntWeb
Countries Occupied
| Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species. |
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Estimated Abundance
| Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species. |
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Biology
Castes
Known only from the worker caste.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- abjectior. Solenopsis abjectior Pacheco & Mackay, 2013: 105, figs. 22, 23 (w.) ARGENTINA (Buenos Aires).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 5 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Argentina: Buenos Aires (J. Richter); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depository: MHNG.
- [First available use of Solenopsis decipiens subsp. abjecta var. abjectior Forel, 1909a: 266 (w.) ARGENTINA; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name. As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Forel, 1912g: 9; Bruch, 1914: 223; Emery, 1922e: 199; Ettershank, 1966: 139; Kempf, 1972a: 235. Declared as unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Bolton, 1995b: 386.]
- Distribution: Argentina.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Measurements (n=6). TL 1.31-1.32 (1.31); HL 0.384-0.396 (0.391); HW 0.318-0.330 (0.326); EL 0.036; ED 0.030; SL 0.240-0.258 (0.251); FSL 0.090-0.096 (0.094); CI 81.5-84.6 (83.4); SI 62.5-66.2 (64.2); PL 0.084-0.090 (0.089); PW 0.120-0.126 (0.124); PI 66.7-75.0 (71.8); PPL 0.114-0.120 (0.117); PPW 0.126; PPI 90.5-95.2 (92.9); WL 0.282-0.300 (0.297); PSL 0.018-0.024 (0.019); PSW 0.018.
Small; concolorous yellow; lateral clypeal teeth well developed, extralateral teeth absent; eye small with only three ommatidia; anterior medial clypeal margin concave; lateral teeth extend past anterior border of clypeus by 0.018 mm; head elongate (longer than wide), covered with coarse, dense punctures, similar to members of fugax and pygmaea groups; petiole somewhat rectangular-shaped, with two faces nearly parallel with well-developed tooth present on subpeduncular process.
Most body parts covered with short (0.04 mm), bristly hairs, all approximately same length.
Type Material
Argentina, Buenos Aires (Richter) (Holotype worker and 5 paratype workers Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève).