sF Myrmicinae Solenopsis
The ecology and taxonomy of Solenopsis is poorly understood in the Neotropics. Its small size and lack of obvious architecture make alpha taxonomy painful. If Creighton deemed Brachymyrmex "that miserable little genus", then surely we find a similar epithet for Solenopsis. However, this genus is abundant in the canopy and litter, where it can be found recruiting en masse to baits (e.g., Solenopsis MEK-001) and stealing the brood from other litter nesters (e.g., Solenopsis MEK-003).
Species are sorted by the Weber's length (maximum length of the mesonotum from anterior pronotum to the posterior of propedum).Head length (HL, maximum length of head in full face view, excluding mandibles). Scape length (SL, mm) maximum length of first antennal segnment from apex to the "neck" of the ball and socket joint.
Subfamilies
Links
Jack Longino's Ants of Costa Rica
American Museum Social Insects website
William and Emma Mackay Ants of North America site
Gordon and Roy Snelling New World Army Ants
WWL: 0.35
HL:0.39, SL:0.23
pale yellow
sparse hairs <10 on mesosoma
dorsum of propedum lower than pronotum, petiole node small and broadly cunate, clypeal teeth associated with 3x hairs, from John Tobin's canopy fogging
MEK-002 Kaspari MS
WWL: 0.35-0.42
HL: 0.35, SL: 0.22
head, mesosoma, gaster with sparse short hairs,
subpetiolar process blunt peg anterior to semicircle, propedal spiracle large,propedum triangular, reduced
pair of clypeal teeth associated with long hairs, common in litter, soil nester?
WWL: 0.35
HL: 0.37, SL: 0.20
darker red brown
dorsum of propedum with lateral ridges, propedum and katepisternum usually weakly foveolate,
numerous (>10) hairs on mesosoma
pair of long clypial teeth skewed laterally
Common litter nester.
WWL: 0.37-0.42
HL:0.37, SL:0.20
sparse hairs, ca. 10, on mesosoma, long pair of hairs on dorsum of petiole with long peducle, pair of reduced, thin clypial teeth, common in litter, soil nester?
MEK-005 Kaspari MS
WWL: 0.40
HL: 0.41, SL: 0.22
No clypeal teeth, sparse mesosomal hair (<10)
node of petiole more quadrate,
propedum tends to be "humped", often with apex equal to or higher than pronotum
Orange
Common litter nester
WWL: 0.40
HL:0.35, SL: 0.22
yellow
sparse mesosomal hair 4x scape width
pair of long clypial teeth
subpetiolar tooth anterior to rounded process on long peduncle. Uncommon in litter, soil nester?
WWL: 0.42
HL:0.41, SL:0.28
hairs on mesosoma, long and relatively stiff,
\legs and scapes abundantly hairy, pale yellowpair of reduced clypeal teeth associated with hairs, long peduncle leads to small cunate petiole node
From John Tobin's canopy fogging
WWL: 0.45
HL: 0.42
SL: 0.22
pronotum triangular in lateral view, subpetiolar process rounded
pair of reduced clypeal teeth associate with long hairs, sparse stiff mesosomal hair
From John Tobin's canopy fogging
WWL:0.50
HL:0.42, SL:0.30
3 short hairs on mesosoma
pale yellow
Subpetiolar process broad shallow triangle
clypeal teeth reduced
Petiole node quadrate
From John Tobin's canopy fogging
WWL:0.55
HL: 0.52
SL: 0.30
brown
abundant long pilosity on head, mesosoma, gaster
petiolar node quadrate
Large soil colonies and vigorous recruiter to baits
May be a hairier version of MEK-010
20Jan05 MEK-10 was moved to Carebarella
Last Updated: 20Dec2004
