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Solenopsis ocellata
| Solenopsis ocellata | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Solenopsidini |
| Genus: | Solenopsis |
| Species complex: | pygmaea |
| Species: | S. ocellata |
| Binomial name | |
| Solenopsis ocellata Moreno, Mackay & Pacheco, 2013 | |
Solenopsis ocellata was collected in subterranean baits in pine/juniper forest habitats and nests under stones.
Identification
A New World thief ant that is a member of the pygmaea species complex.
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) – Worker - These ants are pale yellow with small eyes of at least one ommatidium. The lateral clypeal teeth are well developed with the extralateral teeth as developed, only slightly smaller. The gaster is densely pilose.
Solenopsis ocellata could be confused with Solenopsis isopilis and Solenopsis whitfordi. The hairs present on the first tergum of the gaster of S. ocellata is the distinguishing feature to separate it from these two species. The first tergum of the gaster in profile has fewer than 20 erect hairs of varying lengths (many over 0.05 mm), which separates it from isopilis, which is a species that has more than 20 hairs all equal in length (about 0.02 mm in length). Solenopsis ocellata can be separated from S. whitfordi in being consistently larger in total length (1.4 vs. 1.2 mm).
Keys including this Species
Distribution
United States: Arizona and Louisiana
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States (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.
- ocellata. Solenopsis ocellata Moreno, Mackay & Pacheco, in Pacheco & Mackay, 2013: 242, figs. 200, 201 (w.) U.S.A. (Arizona, Louisiana).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 6 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype U.S.A.: Arizona, Stoneman Lake Rd at 0.9 mi. E I-17, 5800 ft, 12.ix.1997, #AZ1115 (R.A. Johnson); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: MCZC (holotype); LACM, MCZC, RAJC, USNM, WEMC (paratypes).
- Distribution: U.S.A.
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 1.26-1.56 (1.39); HL 0.372-0.408 (0.391); HW 0.270-0.342 (0.301); EL 0.024-0.030 (0.025); ED 0.018-0.024 (0.023); SL 0.228-0.258 (0.238); FSL 0.072-0.114 (0.089); CI 71.4-83.8 (76.8); SI 58.8-63.2 (60.7); PL 0.072-0.078 (0.073); PW 0.090-0.120 (0.103); PI 63.1-80.0 (71.6); PPL 0.096-0.102 (0.097); PPW 0.108-0.120 (0.114); PPI 80.0-89.5 (85.2); WL 0.240-0.300 (0.282); PSL 0.024-0.030 (0.026); PSW 0.024-0.030 (0.026).
Concolorous pale yellow; head elongate, sides of head straight, posterior border concave; lateral clypeal teeth well developed, medial tooth absent, extralateral teeth well developed, scape extends slightly more than 2/3 distance to posterior lateral corner of head; eye minute, appears to be one ommatidium; lower mesopleuron finely striated, petiolar peduncle and postpetiole lacking tooth or flange ventrally.
Hairs of various lengths (many 0.030 mm), erect and suberect hairs on head and all body surfaces; antenna very hairy, especially club, scape with few suberect hairs.
Type Material
Holotype worker (Museum of Comparative Zoology) and 6 paratype workers (William and Emma Mackay Collection, Johnson's Collection, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, National Museum of Natural History, MCZC). United States, Arizona, Stoneman Lake Rd @ 0.9 mi E 1-17, 12-ix-1997, 5800', R. A. Johnson #AZ1115.
Etymology
From Latin, ocellatus, meaning having small eyes, referring to the tiny eyes.
References
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Pacheco J. A., and W. P. Mackay. 2013. The systematics and biology of the New World thief ants of the genus Solenopsis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 501 pp.