Solenopsis ocellata

Solenopsis ocellata was collected in subterranean baits in pine/juniper forest habitats and nests under stones.

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

Pacheco and Mackay (2013) – Worker - These ants are pale yellow with small eyes of at least one ommatidium. The lateral clypeal teeth are well developed with the extralateral teeth as developed, only slightly smaller. The gaster is densely pilose.

Solenopsis ocellata could be confused with Solenopsis isopilis and Solenopsis whitfordi. The hairs present on the first tergum of the gaster of S. ocellata is the distinguishing feature to separate it from these two species. The first tergum of the gaster in profile has fewer than 20 erect hairs of varying lengths (many over 0.05 mm), which separates it from isopilis, which is a species that has more than 20 hairs all equal in length (about 0.02 mm in length). Solenopsis ocellata can be separated from S. whitfordi in being consistently larger in total length (1.4 vs. 1.2 mm).


 * Key to New World Solenopsis Species Complexes

Distribution
United States: Arizona and Louisiana

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  ocellata. Solenopsis ocellata Moreno, Mackay & Pacheco, in Pacheco & Mackay 2013: 242, figs. 200-201, map 48 (w.) U.S.A.

Worker
Measurements (n=6). TL 1.26-1.56 (1.39); HL 0.372-0.408 (0.391); HW 0.270-0.342 (0.301); EL 0.024-0.030 (0.025); ED 0.018-0.024 (0.023); SL 0.228-0.258 (0.238); FSL 0.072-0.114 (0.089); CI 71.4-83.8 (76.8); SI 58.8-63.2 (60.7); PL 0.072-0.078 (0.073); PW 0.090-0.120 (0.103); PI 63.1-80.0 (71.6); PPL 0.096-0.102 (0.097); PPW 0.108-0.120 (0.114); PPI 80.0-89.5 (85.2); WL 0.240-0.300 (0.282); PSL 0.024-0.030 (0.026); PSW 0.024-0.030 (0.026).

Concolorous pale yellow; head elongate, sides of head straight, posterior border concave; lateral clypeal teeth well developed, medial tooth absent, extralateral teeth well developed, scape extends slightly more than 2/3 distance to posterior lateral corner of head; eye minute, appears to be one ommatidium; lower mesopleuron finely striated, petiolar peduncle and postpetiole lacking tooth or flange ventrally.

Hairs of various lengths (many 0.030 mm), erect and suberect hairs on head and all body surfaces; antenna very hairy, especially club, scape with few suberect hairs.

Type Material
Holotype worker and 6 paratype workers (, Johnson's Collection,, , MCZC). United States, Arizona, Stoneman Lake Rd @ 0.9 mi E 1-17, 12-ix-1997, 5800', R. A. Johnson #AZ1115.

Etymology
From Latin, ocellatus, meaning having small eyes, referring to the tiny eyes.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * 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.