Solenopsis isopilis

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Solenopsis isopilis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Solenopsidini
Genus: Solenopsis
Species complex: pygmaea
Species: S. isopilis
Binomial name
Solenopsis isopilis
Pacheco & Mackay, 2013

Known only from the types (Veracruz, Mexico). These were collected in a selva mediana subperennifolia (medium, sub perennial rain forest) in a subterranean sample trap.

Identification

A New World thief ant that is a member of the pygmaea species complex.

Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Worker - The workers are small and yellowish-brown with an elongate head, which is covered with coarse punctures. The erect hairs on the dorsum of the head and dorsum of the gaster are about equal in length and are usually very dense, especially on the dorsum of the gaster. The eye is small and the same color as the remainder of the head, but is well defined, although individual ommatidia cannot be distinguished. The minor segments of the funiculus are short, in total only slightly longer than the shortest segment of the antennal club. The gaster is noticeably long compared to the mesosoma.

The erect hairs of equal lengths on the dorsum of the gaster would separate this species from most of the others of the pygmaea complex, except for Solenopsis minutissima (Argentina), Solenopsis pygmaea (Mexico and Caribbean) and Solenopsis subterranea (southern USA to northern South America). It can be easily separated from S. pygmaea and S. subterranea by having few erect hairs on the dorsum of the propodeum (when viewed in profile). The well-defined eyes would separate it from S. minutissima.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Veracruz, Mexico.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Mexico (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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.

  • isopilis. Solenopsis isopilis Pacheco & Mackay, 2013: 188, figs. 128, 129 (w.) MEXICO (Veracruz).
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 15 paratype workers.
    • Type-locality: holotype Mexico: Veracruz, Res. Ecol. “La Mancha”, vi.1991 (P. Rojas); paratypes with same data.
    • Type-depositories: MCZC (holotype); IEXA, LACM, MCZC, USNM, WEMC.
    • Distribution: Mexico.

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 0.960-1.08 (1.05); HL 0.300-0.318 (0.312); HW 0.228-0.240 (0.232); EL 0.012-0.018 (0.017); ED 0.012-0.018 (0.017); SL 0.156-0.174 (0.165); FSL 0.060-0.066 (0.061); CI 71.7-78.4 (74.4); SI 50.9-56.0 (52.9); PL 0.060-0.072 (0.065); PW 0.066-0.078 (0.071); PI 90.9-92.3 (91.5); PPL 0.072-0.078 (0.075); PPW 0.078-0.084 (0.081); PPI 92.3-92.9 (92.6); WL 0.204-0.210 (0.209); PSL 0.012; PSW 0.012.

Small, concolorous yellowish-brown; all surfaces with glossy appearance, head and mesosoma with scattered, coarse punctures; head elongate, posterior margin slightly concave, covered with coarse punctures; clypeal carinae and lateral teeth well developed; eye small, same color as remainder of head, but well defined; minor segments of funiculus short, only slightly longer than shortest segment of antennal club; scape extends slightly more than half distance to posterior lateral corners of head; mesopleuron and metapleuron smooth and glossy; posterior propodeal margin rounded, spiracle small; petiole wider than postpetiole when viewed laterally; gaster elongated.

Erect hairs on dorsum of head and gaster approximately equal in length, usually very dense, especially on dorsum of gaster; erect hairs on dorsum of head abundant (0.020 mm in length), nearly equal in length, pronotum with approximately 10 erect hairs (0.030 mm in length), hairs on remainder of mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole similar, erect hairs on dorsum of gaster approximately equal in length (0.020 mm).

Type Material

Holotype worker (Museum of Comparative Zoology) and 15 paratype workers (William and Emma Mackay Collection, Instituto de Ecologia, Jalapa, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Museum of Comparative Zoology, National Museum of Natural History), Mexico, Res. Ecol. "La Mancha", junio 1991, Col. P. Rojas.

Etymology

From Greek, isos, meaning equal and pilos meaning hair, referring to the numerous hairs on the gaster, which are equal in length.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Rojas P., C. Fragoso, and W. P. MacKay. 2014. Ant communities along a gradient of plant succession in Mexican tropical coastal dunes. Sociobiology 61(2): 119-132.