Solenopsis xyloni

Nomenclature

Species: Solenopsis xyloni McCook, 1879

General description

Solenopsis xyloni is native to North America and is not introduced or commonly intercepted. It is included in the Antkey classification because it is difficult to differentiate from S. geminata and to a lesser extent S. invicta.

External links

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 but lacking median tooth. Mandibles triangular. Pronotal spines absent. Propodeum lacking spines or teeth. Petiole with peduncle; subpetiolar process well developed as a flange or lobe. Shiny yellowish to brownish red.

Solenopsis xyloni 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. invicta and S. richteri by the absence 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. Solenopsis xyloni is most easily distinguished from S. geminata, by the presence of a well-developed subpetiolar process that forms a flange or lobe.

Distribution

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

A fire ant native to southern and western North America. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com	A native fire ant harvests a grass seed. Fire ants are occasional granivores. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com
A winged queen fire ant prior to her mating flight. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com	Lateral view of body, entire, adult worker. Photo by Jen Fogarty, Antweb.org.
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 from Solenopsis geminata and Solenopsis xyloni from Solenopsis invicta and Solenopsis richteri. This is arguably the most useful character for separating these species, but it can be difficult to see on some specimens.	Lateral view of petiole, adult worker. Subpetiolar process well developed as a flange or lobe. Photo by Jen Fogarty, Antweb.org, modified.
Lateral view of petiole, adult worker. The subpetiolar process is well developed as a flange or lobe. The process is located at the far anterior end of the petiole and maybe be difficult to see on most specimens. Used in Antkey to separate Solenopsis xyloni from Solenopsis geminata.	Lateral view of body, entire, adult worker. Photo by Michael Branstetter, Antweb.org.
Dorsal view of body, entire, adult worker. Photo by Michael Branstetter, Antweb.org.	Anterior view of head, adult worker. Photo by Michael Branstetter, Antweb.org.