Solenopsis conjurata

Solenopsis conjurata has been collected at 1700 m in wet cloud forest litter in Costa Rica. It is also found in tropical rain forest and in riparian oak/cottonwood forest in Mexico. Solenopsis conjurata was also collected on Cordia alliadora on Barro Colorado Island in Panama. Many workers were collected in subterranean Vienna sausage baits.

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

Pacheco and Mackay (2013) – Worker - This is a small, yellow species with circular eyes (infrequently the eyes are elongate). It is moderately hairy with appressed hairs on the posterior tibiae. The minor funicular segments are at least 0.120 mm in length. Queen - The gyne is relatively large at 4.50 mm in total length and is concolorous golden yellow. The head is covered in coarse punctures resembling members of the fugax complex, however only two well-developed clypeal teeth are present. The space between the lateral teeth is relatively long at 0.120 mm. The mesosoma is smooth and shiny, but the petiole and postpetiole have thin striae basally on each node.

Solenopsis conjurata is the only species of thief ant in the molesta species complex that has circular-shaped eyes. This character state will separate it from similar species, such as Solenopsis corticalis, Solenopsis tenuis and Solenopsis texana (the first two species which overlap S. conjurata in distribution).

Keys

 * Key to New World Solenopsis Species Complexes
 * Key to Solenopsis molesta species complex / Clave a las obreras del complejo Solenopsis molesta

Distribution
Mexico (Baja California, Chiapas and Nuevo Leon) to Panama (Canal Zone).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama.

Castes
Males have yet to be collected.

Nomenclature

 *  conjurata. Solenopsis conjurata Wheeler, W.M. 1925d: 178, fig. 4 (not fig. 8 as stated) (w.) PANAMA.

Worker
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Measurements (n=5). TL 1.50-1.62 (1.55); HL 0.408-0.438 (0.431); HW 0.330-0.360 (0.343); EL 0.030-0.036 (0.031); ED 0.024-0.030 (0.029); SL 0.282-0.288 (0.286); FSL 0.120; CI 76.7-83.3 (79.7); SI 64.4-69.1 (66.3); PL 0.084-0.096 (0.090); PW 0.102-0.108 (0.104); PI 77.8-88.9 (86.3); PPL 0.108; PPW 0.120-0.126 (0.121); PPI 85.7-90.0 (89.1); WL 0.300; PSL 0.024-0.030 (0.028); PSW 0.024-0.030 (0.025).

Small, concolorous yellow; head subquadrate, longer than wide; lateral clypeal teeth angular (well developed in some specimens), extralateral teeth absent, but the anterior margin is slightly swollen in the region; clypeal carinae well developed; eyes small, circular; scape short, does not reach posterior margin of head; minor segments 3-8 of funiculus moderately short 0.120 mm; notopropodeal suture weakly depressed, groove breaks sculpture of mesosoma; mesopleuron and metapleuron smooth and shiny; posterior propodeal margin rounded; petiole wider than postpetiole viewed laterally; petiolar node forming rounded triangle, lacking tooth or flange ventrally; postpetiole rounded, node oval viewed laterally.

Moderately hairy, without sub erect hairs on posterior tibia (most appressed); erect and suberect hairs of various lengths present on most body surfaces, suberect hairs on petiole and postpetiole curve posteriorly.

Queen
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Measurements (n=1). TL 4.56; HL 0.690; HW 0.642; EL 0.216; ED 0.18; MOL 0.066; MOD 0.090; SL 0.480; FSL 0.240; CI 93.0; SI 69.6; PSL 0.060; PSW 0.050; PL 0.140; PW 0.300; PI 46.0; PPL 0.270; PPW 0.330; PPI 81.8; WL 0.960.

Moderately large, concolorous golden yellow; head large, subquadrate, wider than long, cephalic punctures coarse, numerous; lateral clypeal teeth well developed; extralateral teeth slightly angulate; clypeal carinae well developed; frontal lobes with vertical striae; scape long, does not reach posterior border of head; minor funicular segments 3-8 long; eyes large, black; medial ocellus large; pronotum with coarse punctures; metapleuron mostly smooth and shiny, faint horizontal striae on metapleuron; posterior propodeal margin with angular ridge; petiole wider than postpetiole viewed laterally; petiole and postpetiole with thin striae present basally on nodes, lacking teeth or flange ventrally.

Hairy; head with numerous suberect and erect hairs originating from coarse punctures; long erect and suberect hairs of various lengths covering all body surfaces, hairs on pronotum, petiole and postpetiole curve posteriorly.

Type Material
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Panama, Colorado Island, 29-vii-1924, W. M. Wheeler, (lectotype worker and 7 paralectotype workers [here designated], cotype #23232 ). Solenopsis conjurata Wheeler, Panama, Barro Colorado Island, Canal Zone, No. 782, 29-vii-1924, W. M. Wheeler, (3 cotype workers ).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
 * Ettershank G. 1966. A generic revision of the world Myrmicinae related to Solenopsis and Pheidologeton (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Aust. J. Zool. 14: 73-171.
 * Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
 * 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.
 * Valenzuela-González J., Quiroz-Robledo L. y Martínez-Tlapa D. 2008. Capítulo 8. Hormigas (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae). En: Manson R., Hernández-Ortiz V., Gallina S y K. Mehltreter (eds) Agroecosistemas cafetaleros de Veracruz: biodiversidad, manejo y conservación.Instituto de Ecología A.C.-Instituto Nacional de Ecología (INE-SEMARNAT). P.107-121. ISBN 970-709-112-6.
 * 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 W. M. 1925. A new guest-ant and other new Formicidae from Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Biological Bulletin (Woods Hole) 49: 150-181.