Solenopsis stricta

Solenopsis stricta was collected in humid, subtropical, inundated low forest, nesting in a twig in Paraguay. This species was collected at 600 m in a primary tropical rainforest nesting in a dead twig, in a pasture of Psidium guayaba at 500 m and in secondary growth forest in a recent tree fall at 650 m in Ecuador.

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

Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Worker - This is a golden brown species with smooth sculpture. The head is nearly quadrate, the clypeus is concave, the clypeal carinae are well developed and form the lateral teeth as small angles. The eyes contain approximately 3-5 ommatidia. The minor funicular segments 3-8 are very long, occasionally reaching 0.180 mm in total length. Additionally, there are thin horizontal striae present on the base of the propodeum just below the spiracle. The propodeal spiracle is large at 0.042 mm at its widest point. The distinguishing feature of this species is the very wide petiole that has an arched node viewed laterally. The petiole is very thin and the postpetiole is oval-shaped when seen from above. Queen - The queen is small and concolorous dark brown. An important characteristic on the gyne is the wide space (0.138 mm) between the tips of the lateral clypeal teeth. The scape is long and nearly reach the posterior border of the head. The medial ocellus is small at 0.048 mm in diameter. The metapleuron and the sides of the petiole and postpetiole are horizontally striated.

Solenopsis stricta is similar to Solenopsis hayemi and the distinguishing characteristic is the thickness of the petiolar node viewed from above. Solenopsis stricta is consistently thinner than the thicker, more robust node of S. hayemi and easily distinguished.

Keys

 * Key to New World Solenopsis Species Complexes
 * Key to workers of the stricta species complex / Clave para las obreras del complejo stricta

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Brazil , Colombia , Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru.

Castes
Males have yet to be collected.

Nomenclature

 *  stricta. Solenopsis stricta Emery, 1896g: 90, pl. 1, fig. 15 (w.) BOLIVIA. Senior synonym of antoniensis, foederata: Pacheco & Mackay, 2013: 303.
 * antoniensis. Solenopsis laeviceps var. antoniensis Forel, 1912g: 5 (w.) COLOMBIA. Junior synonym of stricta: Pacheco & Mackay, 2013: 303 (but see p. 200 where it is noted as a junior synonym of laeviceps).
 * foederata. Solenopsis stricta st. foederata Santschi, 1923c: 255 (w.q.) BRAZIL. Junior synonym of stricta: Pacheco & Mackay, 2013: 303.

Worker
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Measurements (n=13). TL 1.80-2.04 (1.94); HL 0.480-0.540 (0.512); HW 0.426-0.480 (0.451); EL 0.048-0.054 (0.050); ED 0.030-0.036 (0.035); SL 0.342-0.396 (0.364); FSL 0.150-0.180 (0.163); CI 83.5-94.1 (88.1); SI 67.1-75.0 (71.1); PL 0.108-0.150 (0.124); PW 0.078-0.102 (0.089); PI 118-167 (139); PPL 0.120; PPW 0.126-0.150 (0.139); PPJ 80.0-95.2 (86.6); WL 0.360-0.408 (0.378); PSL 0.030-0.054 (0.041); PSW 0.030-0.042 (0.036).

Small, golden brown; head longer than wide, with convex lateral margins; lateral clypeal teeth angulate, extralateral teeth as bumps; clypeal carinae well defined; eyes small, 3-5 ommatidia; scape long, extends more than 3/4 length of head; notopropodeal suture deeply impressed, groove breaks sculpture of mesosoma; pronotum and mesopleuron smooth and shiny; metapleuron horizontally striated; propodeum with posterior margin angulate, distinguishing a posterior slope; propodeal spiracle large; petiole wider than postpetiole viewed laterally, petiolar node arched, peduncle lacking tooth or flange ventrally; postpetiolar node oval, lacking tooth or flange ventrally; petiole thin and postpetiole oval viewed dorsally.

Moderately hairy; erect and sub erect hairs of various lengths covering body surfaces; mesosomal hairs long (up to 0.180 mm); hairs on petiole, postpetiole, gaster curve posteriorly.

Queen
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Measurements (n=4). TL 3.36-3.72 (3.60); HL 0.642-0.648 (0.644); HW 0.600; EL 0.162-0.168 (0.167); ED 0.150; MOL 0.042; MOD 0.048-0.054 (0.050); SL 0.438-0.462 (0.450); FSL 0.240-0.276 (0.252); CJ 92.6-93.5 (93.2); SI 68.2-71.3 (69.9); PSL 0.072-0.084 (0.075); PSW 0.066-0.072 (0.068); PL 0.162-0.168 (0.167); PW 0.216-0.222 (0.219); PI 75.0-77.8 (76.0); PPL 0.156; PPW 0.276-0.300 (0.285); PPI 52.0-56.5 (54.8); WL 0.810-0.840 (0.833).

Small, concolorous dark brown; head longer than wide, coarse punctures scattered; lateral clypeal teeth angulate, space between tips of teeth wide at 0.138 mm; extralateral teeth absent; clypeal carinae well defined; eyes large; medial ocellus small; scape long, nearly reaching posterior border of head; pronotum coarsely punctate, smooth and shiny between punctures; mesopleuron smooth and shiny; posterior propodeal margin rounded; propodeal spiracle large, circular; metapleuron horizontally striated; petiolar node arched, wide, horizontally striated with scattered punctures, peduncle lacking tooth or flange ventrally; postpetiolar node oval, horizontally striated with scattered punctures, lacking tooth or flange ventrally.

Abundantly hairy, pilosity yellow; erect and suberect hairs of various lengths on all body surfaces; long hairs (up to 0.240 mm) on head, mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and first tergum of gaster; hairs on petiole and postpetiole curve posteriorly.

Type Material
Colombia, (lectotype worker and an additional 11 paralectotype workers [here designated] ). Solenopsis laeviceps antoniensis, Colombia, St Antonio, Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta. Solenopsis stricta foederata, Cotype Wm M. Wheeler, M.C.Z. Cotype Brazil, Blumenau (Cotype 1-3 20941, seen ). Solenopsis stricta foederata specularis, Cotype, Wm M. Wheeler M.C.Z, Brazil, Blumenau (Cotype 1-5 20940 MCZC). S. stricta foederata 177, Brazil, S.C. Blumenau Witte, Sammlung Dr. F. Santschi Kairouan (lectotype worker and 10 paralectotype workers [here designated] ). S. stricta foederata specularis 177, Brazil, S.C. Blumenau Witte Sammlung Dr. F. Santschi Kairouan (lectotype worker and 15 paralectotype workers [here designated] NHMB).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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 * 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.
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