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Solenopsis richteri

Nomenclature

Species: Solenopsis richteri Forel, 1909 

External links

Antweb | Antwiki

Diagnostic description

Diagnosis of worker among Antkey species

Worker caste polymorphic. Total length > 2 mm. Head ovoid (minors) to rectangular (majors). Antenna 10-segmented. Antennal club 2-segmented. Antennal scapes not conspicuously short; easily extended beyond eye level. Antennal insertions at least partly covered by frontal lobes; not surrounded by a raised sharp-edged ridge. Antennal scrobe lacking. Posterolateral corners of head unarmed, without spines. Eyes medium to large (greater than 5 facets); distinctly less than half head length. Frontal lobes do not obscure face outline between mandible and eye. Anterior margin of clypeus with two lateral teeth and one median tooth. Mandibles triangular. Pronotal spines absent. Propodeum lacking spines or teeth. Petiole with peduncle; subpetiolar process not developed as a flange or lobe. Color shiny brownish black.

Solenopsis richteri is easily separated from S. papuana by the polymorphic worker caste, the greater size (TL > 2.0 mm), and by the larger eye (> 5 facets). It is most reliably separated from S. geminata and S. xyloni by the presence of a median tooth between the two lateral teeth on the anterior margin of the clypeus. This character is often difficult to see, and it is best to examine a moderate sample of specimens of different sizes before a confident determination can be made. The species is further distinguished from the North American native, S. xyloni, by the lack of a well-developed subpetiolar process that forms a flange or lobe. Solenopsis richteri hybridizes with S. invicta. The two species are best distinguished by color (S. richteri is brownish black and S. invicta is reddish brown), but S. invicta x richteri is intermediate.

Look alikes

Solenopsis invicta

Distribution

Click here for updated occurrence data and map on antmaps.org
Click here for updated occurrence data and map on GBIF.org

Lateral view of body, entire, adult worker.
Lateral view of body, entire, adult worker.
Dorsal view of body, entire, adult worker.
Dorsal view of body, entire, adult worker.
Dorsal view of body, entire, adult soldier.
Dorsal view of body, entire, adult soldier.
Anterior view of head, adult worker.
Anterior view of head, adult worker.
Anterior view of clypeus, adult worker. The anterior margin of the clypeus has a single median tooth on the midline and a pair of lateral teeth that straddle the midline. Used in Antkey to separate Solenopsis invicta and Solenopsis richteri from Solenopsis geminata and Solenopsis xyloni . This is arguably the most useful character for separating these species, but it can be difficult to see on some specimens.
Anterior view of clypeus, adult worker. The anterior margin of the clypeus has a single median tooth on the midline and a pair of lateral teeth that straddle the midline. Used in Antkey to separate Solenopsis invicta and Solenopsis richteri from Solenopsis geminataand Solenopsis xyloni. This is arguably the most useful character for separating these species, but it can be difficult to see on some specimens.