Solenopsis impolita

Only known from the type material, nothing is known about the biology of .

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 concolorous pale yellow in color. The head is coarsely punctate with an eye of one ommatidium. The lateral clypeal teeth are short, but well developed and the extralateral teeth are absent. The scape is short at 0.240 mm in total length. The sculpture of this ant is smooth and it has little pilosity on body surfaces.

Solenopsis impolita is unique in the pygmaea species complex. It is easily recognized in that the workers have only one ommatidium and are nearly devoid of pilosity. Additionally, it is one of few species that is completely smooth, lacking even horizontal striae on the metapleuron; a trait found in nearly all species.


 * Key to New World Solenopsis Species Complexes

Distribution
Bandera Co, Texas.

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

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  impolita. Solenopsis impolita Moreno, Mackay & Pacheco, in Pacheco & Mackay, 2013: 186, figs. 126-127, map 28 (w.) U.S.A.

Worker
Measurements (n=2). TL 1.26; HL 0.384-0.390 (0.387); HW 0.300-0.330 (0.315); EL 0.012; ED 0.012; SL 0.240; FSL 0.090; CI 76.9-85.9 (81.4); SI 61.5-62.5 (62.0); PL 0.060-0.066 (0.063); PW 0.090; PI 66.7-73.3 (70.0); PPL 0.078-0.084 (0.081); PPW 0.102; PPI 76.5-82.4 (79.4); WL 0.240-0.288 (0.264); PSL 0.018; PSW 0.018.

Small; concolorous pale yellow, translucent throughout body; head quadrate, longer than wide, coarsely punctate, sides of head convex; lateral clypeal teeth short, well developed; extralateral teeth absent; clypeal carinae weakly defined; eyes small, one ommatidium; scape short, extends slightly more than 2/3 distance to posterior lateral corner of head; minor funicular segments 3-8 short; mesosoma smooth and shiny; posterior propodeal margin rounded viewed laterally; propodeal spiracle small, round; petiole wider than postpetiole viewed laterally; petiolar node triangular, round, petiolar peduncle lacking tooth or flange ventrally; postpetiolar node small, semicircular, lacking tooth or flange ventrally.

Nearly devoid of pilosity, with few hairs present throughout body.

Etymology
From Latin, impolitus, meaning rough or unpolished referring to the milky, translucent appearance of the cuticle.

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.