Solenopsis clarki

Solenopsis clarki
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Solenopsidini
Genus:	Solenopsis
Species:	S. clarki
Binomial name
Solenopsis clarki Crawley, 1922 Specimen Labels

Stray workers or nests of Solenopsis clarki are often found when galleries in the nests of other ant species are excavated. Nests can also be found under rocks and pieces of wood or bark. (Heterick 2009)

Identification

Heterick (2009) - Widespread in the SWBP, WA and may extend much further north (what appears to be the same species also occurs in the Kimberley region). This species shows monophasic allometric differences between smaller minor workers and larger major workers. The two sub-castes possess a similar morphology but the major worker is larger and darker in colour with a broader head capsule.

Keys including this Species

• Myrmicinae of the southwestern Australian Botanical Province

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -16.3895° to -32.15°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (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.

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.

Castes

Polymorphic worker caste.

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Syntype of Solenopsis clarki. Worker (major/soldier). Specimen code casent0902366. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• clarki. Solenopsis clarki Crawley, 1922c: 16 (s.w.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-locality: Australia: Western Australia, Byford, no. 171 (J. Clark).
  • Type-depository: OXUM.
  • Status as species: Ettershank, 1966: 140; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 87; Taylor, 1987a: 72; Bolton, 1995b: 386; Heterick, 2009: 176.
  • Distribution: Australia.

Type Material

• Syntype, worker, Byford, Western Australia, Australia, Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
• Syntype, 6 workers, Armadale, Western Australia, Australia, Queensland Museum.
• Syntype, 9 workers (may not be true types), Byford, Western Australia, Australia, Western Australian Museum.

References

• Crawley, W. C. 1922e. New ants from Australia (concluded from vol. ix. p. 449). Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 9(10):16-36. (page 16, soldier, worker described)
• Heterick, B. E. 2009. A guide to the ants of South-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 76:1-206.
• Heterick, B.E. 2021. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part I: Systematics. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 86, 1-245 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2021.001-245).
• Heterick, B.E. 2022. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part II: Distribution and biology. Records of the Western Australian Museum, supplement 86: 247-510 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2022.247-510).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Fisher J., L. Beames, B. J. Rangers, N. N. Rangers, J. Majer, and B. Heterick. 2014. Using ants to monitor changes within and surrounding the endangered Monsoon Vine Thickets of the tropical Dampier Peninsula, north Western Australia. Forest Ecology and Management 318: 78–90.
• Heterick B. E. 2009. A guide to the ants of south-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 76: 1-206. 
• Heterick B. E., M. Lythe, and C; Smithyman. 2012. Urbanisation factors impacting on ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) biodiversity in the Perth metropolitan area, Western Australia: Two case studies. Urban Ecosyst. DOI 10.1007/s11252-012-0257-28