Solenopsis orestes

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
A New World thief ant. It has characters that are intermediate between the molesta and fugax complexes (it has angulate extralateral clypeal teeth and coarse cephalic punctures).

Pacheco and Mackay (2013) – Worker - This is a small golden-yellow species. The head is nearly quadrate, covered with small punctures. The clypeal carinae are well developed, leading into the lateral teeth which are well developed and protruding past the clypeal margin. The extralateral teeth are present as bumps. The eyes are moderately large with 8-10 ommatidia. The mesosoma has small punctures present, especially on the pronotum. The peduncle is relatively long at 0.120 mm. The petiole and postpetiole are equal is size when viewed in profile, but the petiole is formed into a blunt pyramid and the postpetiole is a rounded rhombus.

This species is similar to Solenopsis clytemnestra but can be distinguished by having more hair present on all body surfaces, larger eyes, as well as more developed lateral clypeal teeth. This species can also be confused with Solenopsis parva, but can be separated in that S. parva has less hair on all body surfaces, has a kidney-shaped eye and less developed lateral clypeal teeth that resemble angles. Solenopsis joergenseni is similar to S. orestes in pilosity and number of ommatidia but can be distinguished from S. orestes as the head of this species is rectangular while S. orestes has a nearly square-shaped head. Additionally, S. joergenseni has horizontal striae present on the mesopleuron; a trait lacking in S. orestes.

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

Nomenclature

 *  orestes. Solenopsis clytemnestra r. orestes Forel, 1903c: 256 (w.m.) BRAZIL. [Also described as new by Forel, 1908e: 66.] Forel, 1912g: 6 (q.). Raised to species: Pacheco & Mackay, 2013: 246.

Worker
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Measurements (n=6). TL 1.80-2.18 (1.92); HL 0.504-0.618 (0.535); HW 0.390-0.504 (0.443); EL 0.048-0.072 (0.061); ED 0.024-0.048 (0.039); SL 0.360-0.420 (0.375); FSL 0.108-0.150 (0.133); CI 77.3-88.4 (82.8); SI 63.1-79.5 (70.3); PL 0.090-0.114 (0.094); PW 0.126-0.180 (0.147); PI 55.6-71.4 (64.5); PPL 0.120-0.150 (0.125); PPW 0.156-0.210 (0.169); PPI 71.4-76.9 (74.1); WL 0.360-0.480 (0.390); PSL 0.036-0.042 (0.040); PSW 0.030-0.036 (0.034).

Small, concolorous golden-yellow species; head nearly quadrate, with coarse punctures; clypeal carinae well developed; lateral teeth well developed, protruding past clypeal margin; extralateral teeth are bumps; eyes moderately large with 8-10 ommatidia; scape relatively long, extending nearly to posterior lateral corner of head; pronotum with coarse punctures; notopropodeal suture weakly depressed, groove breaks sculpture of mesosoma; posterior propodeal margin angular; petiole and postpetiole equal in size when viewed laterally; petiole blunt pyramid; postpetiole rounded rhombus; postpetiole wider than petiole viewed dorsally.

Hairs present on all body surfaces; head abundantly hairy with short erect and suberect hairs extending from punctures; antennae abundantly pilose with suberect hairs; mesosoma very hairy with erect and sub erect hairs extending past dorsal margin, with most hairs extending anteriorly; petiole, postpetiole and first tergite of gaster abundantly hairy with sub erect hairs that extend posteriorly.

Type Material
Type,, M.Z.C. Type 1-3, 20908, M.Z.C. Cotype 29398 (lectotype worker and 2 paralectotype workers [here designated] ), Brazil, Ceara, Dr. Rocha. Solenopsis clytemnestra orestes tucumana, 163 Tucuman Shipton leg., v. cr. Tucumana Forel Coll. A. Forel Argentina (3 cotype workers ).