Solenopsis occipitalis

Solenopsis occipitalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Solenopsidini
Genus:	Solenopsis
Species:	S. occipitalis
Binomial name
	Solenopsis occipitalis; Santschi, 1911 Specimen Labels

Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 36.777222° to 32.866667°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Egypt, Tunisia (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.

Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

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

occipitalis. Solenopsis occipitalis Santschi, 1911f: 83 (w.) TUNISIA.
- Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
- Type-localities: Tunisia: Aïn Draham (Normand), Tunisia: Le Kef (Normand).
- Type-depository: NHMB.
- Combination in S. (Diplorhoptrum): Santschi, 1934e: 575.
- Status as species: Emery, 1922e: 202; Santschi, 1934e: 575; Ettershank, 1966: 142; Cagniant, 1968a: 143; Cagniant, 1970a: 418; Bolton, 1995b: 389; Cagniant, 2006a: 196; Sharaf, Taylor & Klingenberg, 2009: 55 (redescription); Sharaf & Aldawood, 2011: 478 (in key) ; Sharaf & Aldawood, 2012: 19 (in key); Borowiec, L. 2014: 157.
- Distribution: Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Sharaf et al. (2009) - TL 1.30–1.71, HL 0.41–0.48, HW 0.38–0.41, SL 0.26–0.29, PL 0.12–0.17, PW 0.12–0.15, PPL 0.09–0.11, PPW 0.14–0.15, EL 0.04–0.05, AL 0.44–0.49, SI 68–70, CI 85–95 (4 measured).

Head rectangular, a little longer than broad. Occipital margin straight with rounded posterior corners. Clypeal carinae divergent anteriorly and running to the margin where they project as a pair of well developed teeth. Eyes with a single facet situated at the anterior third of the head sides. Mandibles armed with four teeth. Mesosoma quite short, promesonotum convex. Metanotal groove distinct. Propodeum short, high and clearly convex, with the basal face making a continuous arc with the declivity. Petiole narrow and little higher than long. A smooth and shining species. Pilosity pale, fine and abundant. Body colour yellow. Masticatory margin of the mandibles and the first gastral tergite dark brown; antennae and legs yellow.

Santschi described the eyes of this species as consisting of three facets, but only a single, oval and relatively large facet was seen in all type workers. In addition he mentioned that the masticatory margin of the mandibles, the occiput, petiole and the first gastral tergite were dark brown; with the antennae and legs yellow. We find this species is unicolorous yellow except for the masticatory margin of the mandibles and the first gastral tergite which are pale brown.

Type Material

Sharaf et al. (2009) - Syntype workers, TUNISIA: Ain-Draham and Le Kef (Normand) Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel [examined].

References

Abdi-Hamecha, L., Barech, G., Khaldi, M., Sadoudi, D. A.-A., Salem, S., Zazgad, I., Cagniant, H. 2021. Diversité des fourmis (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) dans la forêt de Yakouren (Algérie) : Estimation de la richesse, biogéographie et taxonomie. Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 128(1), 61-72 (doi:10.35929/rsz.0035).
Borowiec, L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
Santschi, F. 1911f. Formicides nouveaux de l'Afrique Mineure (4e note suite). Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Afr. Nord 2: 78-85 (page 83, worker described)
Santschi, F. 1934e. Contribution aux Solenopsis paléarctiques. Rev. Suisse Zool. 41: 565-592 (page 575, Combination in S. (Diplorhoptrum))
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.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
Cagniant, H. 1968. Liste preliminaire de fourmis forestieres d'Algerie. Resultats obtenus de 1963 a 1964. Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse 104: 138-147
Cagniant, H. "Liste actualisee des fourmis du Maroc (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8 (2006): 193-200.
Cagniant, H. Les peuplements de fourmis des forêts algériennes: écologie, biocénotique, essai biologique. Universite de Toulouse, 1973.
Santschi F. 1934. Contribution aux Solenopsis paléarctiques. Revue Suisse de Zoologie. 41: 565-592.
Santschi, F. "Formicides nouveaux de l'Afrique Mineure (4e note suite)." Bulletin de la Société d' Histoire naturelle de l' Afrique du Nord 2 (1911): 78-85.
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.
Sharaf M.R., A.S. Aldawood. 2011. First occurrence of Solenopsis Westwood 1840 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with description of a new species S. saudiensis n. sp. Ann. soc. entomol. Fr. 47 (34) : 474-479.