Solenopsis fugax

The taxonomy of this and related taxa needs to be fully revised (Rigato & Toni, 2011).

Identification
Yellow to brownish yellow; sides of head slightly curved. Body and appendages with numerous hairs, head and alitrunk distinctly punctulate but shining. Projecting clypeal teeth short but distinct. Length 1.5-3 mm (Collingwood 1979).

Distribution
Species widespread in Europe; it has been reported also from NW Africa, Anatolia and Central Asia (Rigato & Toni, 2011).

This taxon was described from France. It is also found in Kazakhstan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Biology
Collingwood (1979) - This species lives in populous colonies often deep in the ground or under large stones and is seldom seen above ground. It is often associated with larger Formica and Lasius species predating on their brood, but nests also occur in isolation. It is mainly predatory and carnivorous but has also been recorded attending root aphids. This ant is aggressive and despite its small size will attack other ants and sting fiercely. Queens and males are very large relative to the workers and are found in August and September with flights occurring on warm days in September.

Nomenclature

 *  fugax. Formica fugax Latreille, 1798: 46 (w.q.m.) FRANCE. Hauschteck, 1961: 221 (k.); Santschi, 1910e: 649 (gynandromorph). Combination in Diplorhoptrum: Mayr, 1855: 450; Baroni Urbani, 1968a: 63; Kutter, 1977c: 102; Bernard, 1978a: 574; Arnol'di & Dlussky, 1978: 539; Collingwood, 1979: 64; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 168; in Solenopsis: Mayr, 1862: 751; Emery, 1909a: 30; Emery, 1922e: 201; Bernard, 1967: 182; Bolton, 1987: 285; Bolton, 1995b: 387. Senior synonym of flavidula: Mayr, 1855: 450; Smith, F. 1855b: 121; of orientalis: Karavaiev, 1910b: 49; Karavaiev, 1934: 122; Dlussky & Zabelin, 1985: 221; of kasalinensis, pontica: Dlussky & Zabelin, 1985: 221; of debilior: Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990a: 138; of latroides, scythica: Dlussky & Radchenko, 1994: 109; Arakelian, 1994: 50; provisional senior synonym of: avium, balachowskyi, banyulensis, delta, duboscqui, furtiva, insulare, laevithorax, monticola, nicaeensis, pilosum, provincialis, pygmaea, richardi, robusta, rugosa, tertialis: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 492-493. Current subspecies: nominal plus cypridis, emesa, furtiva, karaki, tisiphone. See also: Donisthorpe, 1915d: 102; Boven, 1977: 85; Bolton, 1987: 285; Radchenko, 2007: 33.
 * flavidula. Myrmica flavidula Nylander, 1849: 43 (w.) RUSSIA. Junior synonym of fugax: Mayr, 1855: 450; Smith, F. 1855b: 121. See also: Radchenko, 2007: 33.
 * latroides. Solenopsis orbula var. latroides Ruzsky, 1905b: 514 (w.) CAUCASUS. Subspecies of latro: Santschi, 1934e: 568. Raised to species: Arnol'di, 1948: 211. Junior synonym of fugax: Arakelian, 1994: 50.
 * orientalis. Solenopsis fugax subsp. orientalis Ruzsky, 1905b: 509, figs. 111, 112 (w.q.m.) RUSSIA. Junior synonym of fugax: Karavaiev, 1910b: 49; Karavaiev, 1934: 122. Revived from synonymy: Tarbinsky, 1976: 80. Junior synonym of fugax: Dlussky & Zabelin, 1985: 221.
 * kasalinensis. Solenopsis fugax var. kasalinensis Emery, 1909a: 31 (w.) KAZAKHSTAN. [First available use of Solenopsis fugax subsp. orientalis var. kasalinensis Ruzsky, 1905b: 513; unavailable name.] Junior synonym of fugax: Dlussky & Zabelin, 1985: 221.
 * debilior. Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) fugax var. debilior Santschi, 1934e: 583 (w.q.m.) FRANCE (Corsica). Junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990a: 138.
 * furtiva. Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) fugax var. furtiva Santschi, 1934e: 584 (w.q.m.) FRANCE. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 492.
 * pontica. Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) fugax var. pontica Santschi, 1934e: 584, fig. 37 (w.q.m.) RUSSIA. Junior synonym of fugax: Dlussky & Zabelin, 1985: 221.
 * scythica. Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) fugax var. scythica Santschi, 1934e: 585 (w.) RUSSIA. Junior synonym of fugax: Arakelian, 1994: 50.
 * banyulensis. Solenopsis emeryi subsp. banyulensis Bernard, 1950a: 10 (w.q.m.) FRANCE. Raised to species: Bernard, 1967: 177; Bernard, 1978a: 556. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 492.
 * duboscqui. Solenopsis duboscqui Bernard, 1950a: 10, figs. 2, 9 (w.m.) FRANCE. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.
 * laevithorax. Solenopsis laevithorax Bernard, 1950a: 12, figs. (w.m.) FRANCE. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.
 * monticola. Solenopsis monticola Bernard, 1950a: 13, figs. 2, 4, 11 (w.q.m.) FRANCE. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.
 * nicaeensis. Solenopsis nicaeensis Bernard, 1950a: 11, figs. 2, 5 (w.q.m.) FRANCE. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 492.
 * provincialis. Solenopsis provincialis Bernard, 1950a: 12 (w.) FRANCE. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.
 * pygmaea. Solenopsis pygmaea Bernard, 1950a: 15 (w.) FRANCE. Bernard, 1978a: 571 (q.m.). [Junior primary homonym of pygmaea Forel, 1901e: 345.] Replacement name: tertialis Ettershank, 1966: 144.
 * richardi. Solenopsis richardi Bernard, 1950a: 15 (w.) FRANCE. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.
 * robusta. Solenopsis robusta Bernard, 1950a: 12 (w.) FRANCE. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.
 * rugosa. Solenopsis rugosa Bernard, 1950a: 14 (w.m.) FRANCE. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.
 * balachowskyi. Solenopsis balachowskyi Bernard, 1959: 346, fig. 3 (w.q.m.) FRANCE. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.
 * tertialis. Solenopsis tertialis Ettershank, 1966: 144. Replacement name for pygmaea Bernard, 1950a: 15. [Junior primary homony of pygmaea Forel, 1901e: 345.] Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.
 * avium. Diplorhoptrum avium Bernard, 1978a: 568, fig. 15 (w.q.m.) FRANCE. Combination in Solenopsis: Bolton, 1995b: 386. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.
 * delta. Diplorhoptrum delta Bernard, 1978a: 565, figs. 8, 13 (w.m.) FRANCE. Combination in Solenopsis: Bolton, 1995b: 387. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.
 * insulare. Diplorhoptrum insulare Bernard, 1978a: 569 (w.q.m.) FRANCE. Combination in Solenopsis: Bolton, 1995b: 388. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.
 * pilosum. Diplorhoptrum pilosum Bernard, 1978a: 562, fig. 1, 15 (w.q.m.) FRANCE. Combination in Solenopsis: Bolton, 1995b: 390. Provisional junior synonym of fugax: Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 493.

Additional References

 * Rigato, F.; Toni, I. 2011. Short notes 21. Hymenoptera, Formicidae. Pp. 873-882 in: Nardi, G.; Whitmore, D.; Bardiani, M.; Birtele, D.; Mason, F.; Spada, L.; Cerretti, P. (eds.) 2011. Biodiversity of Marganai and Montimannu (Sardinia). Research in the framework of the ICP Forests network. Conservazione Habitat Invertebrati, 5. Sommacampagna, Verona: Cierre Edizioni, 896 pp.