Solenopsis tennesseensis

Solenopsis tennesseensis nests under stones as well as in the soil. Areas with dense populations have about five nests per square meter (unpublished data). This species is generally completely subterranean and can usually be collected only with subterranean Vienna sausage baits. Occasionally S. tennesseensis can be found in extractions of leaf litter. It is found in habitats ranging from urban lawns to thorn shrubland. (Pacheco and Mackay 2013)

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

Pacheco and Mackay (2013) – Worker - The head is elongate and flat dorsally. The anterior clypeal margin has well developed lateral teeth, but the extralateral position carries only bumps. This species is very hairy, with erect and suberect hairs on all body surfaces. The minor funicular segments are short at 0.079 mm in total length. The eyes are minute and light brown, with at least one ommatidium.

The length and form of the gastral hairs separate this species from similar species that have shorter hairs (less than 0.050 mm) such as Solenopsis pygmaea, Solenopsis minutissima and those with short minor funicular segments such as Solenopsis subterranea. The workers of S. tennesseensis are especially difficult to distinguish from the workers of S. pygmaea, differing in being slightly larger and slightly less hairy.


 * Key to New World Solenopsis Species Complexes

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States. Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Nomenclature

 * longiceps. Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) longiceps Smith, M.R. 1943a: 210 (w.) U.S.A. (Tennessee, Mississippi).
 * Type-material: holotype worker, 33 paratype workers.
 * Type-locality: holotype U.S.A.: Tennessee, Hamilton County, 24.iv.1939, no. 13795 (W.F. Turner); paratypes with same data.
 * Type-depositories: USNM (holotype); MCZC, USNM (paratypes).
 * [Junior primary homonym of Solenopsis longiceps Forel, 1907b: 202.]
 * Status as species: Creighton, 1950a: 236; Wilson, 1964b: 8 (error).
 * Replacement name: Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) tennesseensis: Smith, M.R. 1951a: 814.
 * . Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) tennesseensis Smith, M.R. 1951a: 814.
 * Replacement name for Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) longiceps Smith, M.R. 1943a: 210. [Junior primary homonym of Solenopsis longiceps Forel, 1907b: 202.]
 * Status as species: Ettershank, 1966: 143; Smith, M.R. 1967: 358; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1388; Thompson, 1989: 271 (in key); Thompson & Johnson, 1989: 698 (in key); Deyrup, et al. 1989: 96; Bolton, 1995b: 391; Mackay & Mackay, 2002: 233; Deyrup, 2003: 47; MacGown & Forster, 2005: 70; Ward, 2005: 67; Pacheco & Mackay, 2013: 320 (redescription); Deyrup, 2017: 112.
 * Distribution: Mexico, U.S.A.

Worker
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Measurements (n=5). TL 1.08-1.50 (1.30); HL 0.360-0.390 (0.366); HW 0.252-0.282 (0.269); EL 0.024-0.030 (0.029); ED 0.024-0.030 (0.025); SL 0.210-0.240 (0.226); FSL 0.072-0.102 (0.079); CI 70.0-75.0 (73.5); SI 58.3-66.7 (61.6); PL 0.060-0.078 (0.071); PW 0.090-0.108 (0.103); PI 58.8-72.2 (68.4); PPL 0.078-0.108 (0.097); PPW 0.102-0.120 (0.114); PPI 72.2-90.0 (85.1); WL 0.222-0.282 (0.254); PSL 0.024-0.030 (0.028); PSW 0.024.

Head elongate, much longer than wide, flat dorsoventrally; lateral clypeal teeth well developed; extralateral teeth present as bumps; clypeal carinae weakly developed; scape short, barely reaching past half length of head; minor segments of funiculus 3-8 short; eyes small, round, light brown, one ommatidium; notopropodeal suture weakly depressed; mesopleuron lacking striae; metapleuron with horizontal striae; propodeal spiracle small; peduncle short; petiole wider than postpetiole viewed laterally; postpetiole with rounded node (viewed dorsally); gaster flat, elongate.

Hairy, suberect hairs on head same length; mandibles very hairy with suberect hairs; gaster hairy, hairs on dorsum of first tergum scattered, of various lengths (longest hairs approximately 0.050 mm).

Type Material
Tennessee, Hamilton Co., Smith (paratype #563441, seen and #28092, seen ).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Annotated Ant Species List Ordway-Swisher Biological Station. Downloaded at http://ordway-swisher.ufl.edu/species/os-hymenoptera.htm on 5th Oct 2010.
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 * Dash S. T. and L. M. Hooper-Bui. 2008. Species diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Louisiana. Conservation Biology and Biodiversity. 101: 1056-1066
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 * Deyrup M., C. Johnson, G. C. Wheeler, J. Wheeler. 1989. A preliminary list of the ants of Florida. Florida Entomologist 72: 91-101
 * Deyrup M., L. Deyrup, and J. Carrel. 2013. Ant Species in the Diet of a Florida Population of Eastern Narrow-Mouthed Toads, Gastrophryne carolinensis. Southeastern Naturalist 12(2): 367-378.
 * Deyrup, M. and J. Trager. 1986. Ants of the Archbold Biological Station, Highlands County, Florida (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist 69(1):206-228
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 * MacGown J. A., J. G. Hill, R. L. Brown, T. L. Schiefer, J. G. Lewis. 2012. Ant diversity at Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in Oktibbeha, Noxubee, and Winston Counties, Mississippi. Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Bulletin 1197: 1-30
 * MacGown J. A., J. G. Hill, and M. Deyrup. 2009. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Little Ohoopee River Dunes, Emanuel County, Georgia. J. Entomol. Sci. 44(3): 193-197.
 * MacGown, J.A and J.A. Forster. 2005. A preliminary list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Alabama, U.S.A. Entomological News 116(2):61-74
 * MacGown, J.A., J.G. Hill, R.L. Brown and T.L. 2009. Ant Diversity at Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in Oktibbeha, Noxubee, and Winston Counties, Mississippi Report #2009-01. Schiefer. 2009.
 * Mackay, W.P. and E. Mackay. XXXX. The Ants of New Mexico
 * Moreau C. S., M. A. Deyrup, and L. R. David Jr. 2014. Ants of the Florida Keys: Species Accounts, Biogeography, and Conservation (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Insect Sci. 14(295): DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieu157
 * O'Keefe S. T., J. L. Cook, T. Dudek, D. F. Wunneburger, M. D. Guzman, R. N. Coulson, and S. B. Vinson. 2000. The Distribution of Texas Ants. The Southwestern Entomologist 22: 1-92.
 * Oyama L., J. R. King, and D. G. Jenkins. 2018. Diversity and distribution of Solenopsis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) thief ants belowground. Myrmecological News 27: 47-57.
 * 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.
 * Smith M. R. 1943. A new North American Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 45: 209-211.
 * Thompson C. R., and C. Johnson. 1989. Rediscovered species and revised key to the Florida thief ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist 72: 697-698.
 * Vasquez-Bolanos M. 2011. Checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Mexico. Dugesiana 18(1): 95-133.
 * Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
 * Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1985. A checklist of Texas ants. Prairie Naturalist 17:49-64.