Solenopsis germaini

Solenopsis germaini was collected in a ground nest in shrub steppe at 1050 m in Argentina. Other workers were collected under a log in an Araucaria forest at the same elevation in Argentina. This species was also collected under a stone in coastal scrub at 10m in Chile. It is very common in Chile (Snelling and Hunt, 1975).

Identification
A New World thief ant that is a member of the fugax species complex

Pacheco and Mackay (2013) – Worker - This is a relatively large robust golden-brown species. The head is heavily punctated and nearly quadrate. Both the lateral and extralateral clypeal teeth are well developed. The scape does not reach the posterior border of the head. The eye is moderately small with 5-8 ommatidia. There are coarse punctures present on the mesosoma. The notopropodeal suture is depressed and breaks the sculpture of the mesosoma. Striae are present on the basal portion of the propodeum. The petiole is thicker than the postpetiole when viewed in profile. The petiolar peduncle has a ventral tooth. Queen - The queen is large and concolorous dark brown. Both lateral and extralateral teeth are present and well developed. The head is triangular in shape and wider than long. Both rugulae and punctures are present on the head. The rugulae are thin and the punctures are coarse with long suberect hairs protruding from each. The scape is golden brown and extends nearly to the posterior border of the head. The eye is moderately large and extends past the profile of the head when the head is in frontal view. The legs have a reddish brown hue. Both the petiole and postpetiole are very thick when viewed in profile. Male - The male is bicolored with a black head and mesosoma and a brown gaster. The head is quadrate. The clypeal teeth are absent, except for small bumps present where the lateral teeth should exist. Thin rugulae are present on the head. The eye is large and begins at the anterior portion of the head near the mandibles and ends at the midpoint of the side of the head. The antennae and legs are golden brown in color. The antennae are very long. The propodeum is covered with rugulae. The postpetiole is twice as large as the petiole and both nodes are heavily covered in rugulae.

The worker of S. germaini is similar to Solenopsis tetracantha (eastern Argentina) and Solenopsis patagonica (Argentina and southern Brazil), based on the coarse cephalic punctures and well-developed lateral and extralateral teeth, but can be distinguished as S. germaini is larger in size and compared to S. tetracantha and S. patagonica, S. germaini is darker in coloration (S. tetracantha and S. patagonica are concolorous yellow). In addition, S. patagonica is dimorphic, while S. germaini and S. tetracantha are monomorphic (based on available material).


 * Key to New World Solenopsis Species Complexes

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina, Chile.

Nomenclature

 *  germaini. Solenopsis germaini Emery, 1895i: 12, figs. (w.) CHILE. Senior synonym of schedingi: Snelling & Hunt, 1976: 84.
 * schedingi. Solenopsis germaini subsp. schedingi Forel, 1907e: 4 (w.q.m.) CHILE. Junior synonym of germaini: Snelling & Hunt, 1976: 84.

Description
Se rapproche de Solenopsis wasmannii Emery, mais bien plus petit, avec les noeuds du pedicule beaucoup plus etroits chez les grands individus, le 1er bien plus epais, moins squamiforme, plus grand par rapport au suivant: sa forme varie moins chez les exemplaires de diverses tailles que chez S. wasmannz. Les antennes sont aussi beaucoup plus courtes chez S. wasmanni, surtout chez les grands individus, ou Ie scape n'atteint pas les 2/3 de la longueur de la tete.

Worker
Taille variable; couleur jaune testace, a peine rembruni sur le dos; mandibules, pattes et antennes jaune pale. Lisse et luisante; une ponctuation piligere reguliere, espacee. Pattes et scapes herisses de poils. Tete subrectangulaire, un peu plus large que longue chez les plus grands exemplaires, un peu plus longue que large chez les plus petits; epistome avec tine petite dent-en dehors des deux pointes ordinaires, situee a une distance de celles ci un peu moindre que celle qui separe les deux pointes l'une de l'autre; mandibules a 4 dents; scape atteignant au plus les 3/4 de la longueur de la tete chez les plus grands individus, les 4/5 chez les tous petits; articles du funicule un peu plus courts qu'epais; yeux petits et plats. Corselet robuste, suture mesometanotale fortement imprimee chez les grands exemplaires, face basale du metanotum bien plus longue que la face declive, formant avec celle ci un angle obtus et arrondi. Pedicule a 1er segment tres brievement petiole en avant, portant en arriere un nceud epais, arrondi en dessus, a peu pres' aussi long que large vu d'en haut, retreci en arriere; 2eme segment a peine plus large que long, aussi large ou un peu plus etroit que le precedent.

Long. 1 3/4 - 2 3/4 mm.

Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Measurements (n=5). TL 1.80-2.48 (2.21); HL 0.522-0.708 (0.579); HW 0.408-0.510 (0.458); EL 0.036-0.060 (0.045); ED 0.030-0.042 (0.035); SL 0.360-0.522 (0.407); FSL 0.144-0.180 (0.158); CI 72.0-88.2 (79.5); SI 68.2-73.7 (69.9); PL 0.120-0.144 (0.125); PW 0.150-0.240 (0.182); PI 60.0-80.0 (69.4); PPL 0.090-0.138 (0.126); PPW 0.126-0.192 (0.169); PPI 71.4-84.6 (74.6); WL 0.300-0.480 (0.382); PSL 0.042-0.054 (0.048); PSW 0.036-0.048 (0.042).

Relatively large, concolorous golden brown; head, longer than wide, posterior border straight, coarsely punctate; lateral clypeal teeth well developed, extralateral teeth well developed; clypeal carinae well defined; eyes relatively small, 5-8 ommatidia; scape reaches % length to posterior lateral comer of head; pronotum coarsely punctate; notopropodeal suture deeply impressed, groove breaks sculpture of mesosoma; pronotum and mesopleuron smooth and shiny between punctures; metapleuron horizontally striate; petiole thicker than postpetiole viewed laterally; petiolar peduncle with well-developed ventral tooth.

Hairy; erect and sub erect hairs present on all body surfaces; every puncture on head with single hair; mesosoma heavily pilose with many erect hairs; hairs of petiole and postpetiole curve posteriorly; first tergite of gaster heavily pilose with suberect hairs.

Queen
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Measurements (n=2). TL 5.75-6.24 (5.99); HL 0.870-0.978 (0.924); HW 0.960-1.090 (1.030); EL 0.270-0.300 (0.285); ED 0.240; MOL 0.084-0.090 (0.087); MOD 0.078-0.084 (0.081); SL 0.462-0.630 (0.546); FSL 0.300-0.360 (0.330); CI 110-112 (111); SI 47.2-72.4 (59.8); PSL 0.102-0.120 (0.111); PSW 0.096; PL 0.240; PW 0.522-0.600 (0.561); PI 40.0-45.9 (42.9); PPL 0.300-0.360 (0.330); PPW 0.516-0.600 (0.558); PPI 58.1-60.0 (59.1); WL 1.56-1.68 (1.62).

Large, concolorous dark brown; head triangular, wider than long, coarsely punctate with thin rugulae; lateral clypeal teeth and extralateral teeth well developed; clypeal carinae well defined; scape golden brown, extends nearly to posterior lateral comer of head; medial ocellus small; eye moderately large; extends past profile of head in frontal view; legs reddish brown; pronotum coarsely punctate, smooth and shiny between punctures, mesopleuron smooth and shiny; metapleuron horizontally striated; petiolar and postpetiolar nodes robust viewed laterally; both nodes horizontally striate.

Abundantly hairy, erect and sub erect hair present on all body surfaces; erect and suberect hairs emitting from coarse punctures throughout head and mesosoma; long erect hairs (0.024 mm) on pronotum; most hairs on mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole curve posteriorly.

Male
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Measurements (n=4). TL 5.16-5.28 (5.24); HL 0.660-0.720 (0.696); HW 0.720-0.810 (0.764); EL 0.300-0.420 (0.345); ED 0.222-0.300 (0.261); MOL 0.084; MOD 0.084-0.120 (0.102); SL 0.240-0.252 (0.246); FSL 1.32; CI 107-113 (110); SI 33.3-38.2 (35.4); PSL 0.096-0.108 (0.100); PSW 0.078-0.102 (0.088); PL 0.180; PW 0.522; PI 34.5; PPL 0.300; PPW 0.480-0.570 (0.525); PPI 52.6-62.5 (57.6); WL 1.68-1.80 (1.72).

Bicolored, head and mesosoma black, gaster brown; head rectangular, wider than long, fully covered in rugulae; small bump present medially on clypeus; eye large, begins at anterior portion of head and ends half-length of head; antennae very long, antennae and legs golden brown; propodeum, petiole and postpetiole covered in rugulae; postpetiole twice as long as petiole viewed laterally.

Abundantly hairy; erect and suberect hairs present on all body surfaces; punctures present on mesosoma with long erect (0.036 mm) hairs extending from each.

Type Information
Cordillere de Chillan (M. Germain).

Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Solenopsis germaini schedingi Chile, Puerto de Corral, C. Scheding Ig 111.04 ded 10.v.1905, Forel Coll. (lectotype worker [here designated], 1 paralectotype queen and 4 paralectotype males ).

Etymology
In honor of the collector.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Goetsch W. and C. Menozzi. 1935. Die Ameisen Chiles. Konowia 14: 94-102
 * Goetsch, W., and C. Menozzi. "Die Ameisen Chiles." Konowia 14 (1935): 94-102.
 * Kempf W. W. 1970. Catálogo das formigas do Chile. Papeis Avulsos de Zoologia (São Paulo) 23: 17-43.
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * 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.
 * Snelling R. R., and J. H. Hunt. 1975. The ants of Chile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Revista Chilena de Entomología 9: 63-129.