Solenopsis loretana

Solenopsis loretana was collected in an underground nest (25 cm deep) in Argentina. This species was collected in humid subtropical tall forest nesting in soil, in an edge of campo cerrado/low forest foraging at 240 m, in mixed citrus grove and in scrub forest in Paraguay. Solenopsis loretana was collected by baiting (surface wiener) in Brazil.

Identification
A New World thief ant that is a member of the molesta species complex. (Key to New World Solenopsis Species Complexes)

Pacheco and Mackay (2013) – Worker - This is small, concolorous brown species, with a quadrate head. The clypeal carinae are well developed and extend into well-developed lateral teeth. The extralateral teeth are solely present as small angles. The minor funicular segments 3-8 are relatively long, but the eye is small with only three ommatidia. The mesopleuron and metapleuron are covered with horizontal striae. The defining character for the worker is the large, globular postpetiolar node that resembles those present of species in the globularia species complex.

Solenopsis loretana may be confused with Solenopsis latastei because both species are concolorous brown and have similar clypeal carinae and teeth, but can be separated very easily by S. loretana's large globular postpetiole (similar to those species of the globularia group). Solenopsis loretana is easily separated from the members of the globularia species group as it has a small eye that has only 3-5 ommatidia; members of the globularia species complex nearly always have 15-25 ommatidia.

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

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  loretana. Solenopsis (Oedaleocerus) loretana Santschi, 1936d: 406, figs. 6-8 (w.) ARGENTINA.

Worker
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) - Measurements (n=3). TL 1.74-2.04 (1.84); HL 0.510-0.540 (0.520); HW 0.390-0.450 (0.414); EL 0.048; ED 0.030; SL 0.360-0.384 (0.368); FSL 0.168-0.180 (0.172); CI 76.5-83.3 (79.5); SI 70.6-71.1 (70.8); PL 0.060-0.066 (0.062); PW 0.12; PI 50.0-55.0 (51.7); PPL 0.15; PPW 0.180-0.216 (0.192); PPI 69.4-83.3 (78.7); WL 0.360-0.438 (0.398); PSL 0.030; PSW 0.030.

Small, concolorous brown; head quadrate, posterior border nearly straight; clypeal carinae well developed, extend into well-developed lateral teeth; extralateral teeth angular; scapes do not reach the posterior lateral corner of head; minor funicular segments 3-8 relatively long; frontal lobes with vertical striae; eye small (3 ommatidia); notopropodeal suture well depressed, notch-like; horizontal striae on mesopleuron and metapleuron; dorsal propodeal margin angular; propodeal spiracle relatively small; petiolar node thin, anterior and posterior faces nearly parallel, forming thin, triangular node, lacking tooth or flange on subpeduncular process; postpetiole large, globular node, resembles species in globularia species complex.

Moderately hairy; scapes covered with appressed hairs; remaining body surfaces covered with erect and suberect hairs of various lengths, with longest 0.120 mm in length, present on mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole.

Type Material
Argentina, Misiones, Loreto, Dr. A.A. Ogloblin. Nido en la tierra a 25ctms. de profundidad, Santschi, 2082, Sammlung, Dr. F. Santschi, Kairouan, (lectotype worker and 2 paralectotypes workers [here designated] ).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Cuezzo, F. 1998. Formicidae. Chapter 42 in Morrone J.J., and S. Coscaron (dirs) Biodiversidad de artropodos argentinos: una perspectiva biotaxonomica Ediciones Sur, La Plata. Pages 452-462.
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * Kusnezov N. 1978. Hormigas argentinas: clave para su identificación. Miscelánea. Instituto Miguel Lillo 61:1-147 + 28 pl.
 * 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.
 * Santschi F. 1936. Fourmis nouvelles ou intéressantes de la République Argentine. Revista de Entomologia (Rio de Janeiro). 6: 402-421.
 * Vittar, F. 2008. Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de la Mesopotamia Argentina. INSUGEO Miscelania 17(2):447-466
 * Wild, A. L. "A catalogue of the ants of Paraguay (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Zootaxa 1622 (2007): 1-55.