Solenopsis amblychila

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Solenopsis amblychila
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Solenopsidini
Genus: Solenopsis
Species group: geminata
Species: S. amblychila
Binomial name
Solenopsis amblychila
Wheeler, W.M., 1915

Solenopsis amblychila casent0005802 profile 1.jpg

Solenopsis amblychila casent0005802 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

This species nests in the soil, often under stones or wood, and together with Camponotus festinatus. Reproductives were collected in a nest in April (Mackay and Mackay 2002).

Identification

A member of the Solenopsis geminata species-group.

Distribution

Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico, western Texas and the northern states of Mexico.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 34.85722° to 20.659113°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: United States (type locality).
Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

These ants are usually found in well-watered lawns in urban habitats, or in riparian areas in arid regions, although they may be found in dry habitats. They are often found at higher elevations (1,500 - 2,500 m) than Solenopsis aurea. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)


A new queen with accepted host workers and brood.

Flight Period

X
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Source: antkeeping.info.

Castes

Worker

MCZ-ENT00022903 Solenopsis aurea amblychila hef.jpgMCZ-ENT00022903 Solenopsis aurea amblychila hal.jpgMCZ-ENT00022903 Solenopsis aurea amblychila had.jpgMCZ-ENT00022903 Solenopsis aurea amblychila lbs.jpg
. Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Images from AntWeb

Solenopsis amblychila casent0102897 head 1.jpgSolenopsis amblychila casent0102897 profile 1.jpgSolenopsis amblychila casent0102897 dorsal 1.jpgSolenopsis amblychila casent0102897 label 1.jpg
Worker (major/soldier). Specimen code casent0102897. Photographer Jen Fogarty, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Solenopsis amblychila casent0102898 head 1.jpgSolenopsis amblychila casent0102898 profile 1.jpgSolenopsis amblychila casent0102898 dorsal 1.jpgSolenopsis amblychila casent0102898 label 1.jpg
Worker (major/soldier). Specimen code casent0102898. Photographer Jen Fogarty, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • amblychila. Solenopsis aurea subsp. amblychila Wheeler, W.M. 1915b: 394 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. (Arizona), MEXICO (Guadalahara).
    • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens, syntype males (numbers not stated, “many specimens”).
    • Type-locality: U.S.A.: Arizona, Huachuca Mts (by restriction of Creighton, 1950a: 230), Huachuca Mts, Ramsay Cañon 6000 ft, Hunter’s Cañon 5500 ft, Carr Cañon 6000 ft, Miller Cañon 5000-5400 ft (W.M. Wheeler).
    • [Note: other original syntype locality: Mexico: Guadalahara (J.F. McClendon).]
    • Type-depositories: LACM, MCZC.
    • Subspecies of xyloni: Creighton, 1930b: 104; Cole, 1937a: 99 (bottom of page); Smith, M.R. 1951a: 812.
    • Subspecies of aurea: Emery, 1922e: 196; Cole, 1937a: 99 (top of page); Creighton, 1950a: 230; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 129; Ettershank, 1966: 139.
    • Junior synonym of aurea: Snelling, R.R. 1963: 7; Smith, M.R. 1967: 357; Kempf, 1972a: 233; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1385; Snelling, R.R. & George, 1979:133; Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1986g: 13.
    • Status as species: Trager, 1991: 168 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 386; Ward, 2005: 67.
    • Distribution: Mexico, U.S.A.

Description

Syntype Specimen Labels

References

  • Creighton, W. S. 1930b. The New World species of the genus Solenopsis (Hymenop. Formicidae). Proc. Am. Acad. Arts Sci. 66: 39-151 (page 104, subspecies of xyloni)
  • Creighton, W. S. 1950a. The ants of North America. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 104: 1-585 (page 230, subspecies of aurea)
  • Mackay, W. P. and E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, NY.
  • Pitts, J.P., Camacho, G.P., Gotzek, D., McHugh, J.V., Ross, K.G. 2018. Revision of the fire ants of the Solenopisis saevissima species group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 120: 308–411.
  • Snelling, R. R. 1963. The United States species of fire ants of the genus Solenopsis, subgenus Solenopsis Westwood, with synonymy of Solenopsis aurea Wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Calif. Dep. Agric. Bur. Entomol. Occ. Pap. 3: 1-15 (page 7, Junior synonym of aurea)
  • Trager, J. C. 1991. A revision of the fire ants, Solenopsis geminata group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). J. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 99: 141-198 (page 168, Revived from synonymy, and raised to species)
  • Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1986g. The ants of Nevada. Los Angeles: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, vii + 138 pp. (page 13, Junior synonym of aurea)
  • Wheeler, W. M. 1915b. Some additions to the North American ant-fauna. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 34: 389-421 (page 394, worker, queen, male described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Chialvo P., D. A. Gotzek, D. Shoemaker, and K. G. Ross. 2018. Genetic analyses reveal cryptic diversity in the native North American fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Solenopsis). Systematic Entomology 43: 109–122.
  • Cover S. P., and R. A. Johnson. 20011. Checklist of Arizona Ants. Downloaded on January 7th at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/AZants-2011%20updatev2.pdf
  • Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
  • Fernandes, P.R. XXXX. Los hormigas del suelo en Mexico: Diversidad, distribucion e importancia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
  • Johnson R. Personnal Database. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/resources.htm
  • Johnson, R.A. and P.S. Ward. 2002. Biogeography and endemism of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Baja California, Mexico: a first overview. Journal of Biogeography 29:1009–1026/
  • LeBrun E. G., R. M. Plowes, and L. E. Gilbert. 2015. Imported fire ants near the edge of their range: disturbance and moisture determine prevalence and impact of an invasive social insect. Journal of Animal Ecology,81: 884–895.
  • Mackay W. P., and E. E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 400 pp.
  • O'Keefe S. T., J. L. Cook, T. Dudek, D. F. Wunneburger, M. D. Guzman, R. N. Coulson, and S. B. Vinson. 2000. The Distribution of Texas Ants. The Southwestern Entomologist 22: 1-92.
  • Trager J. C. 1991. A revision of the fire ants, Solenopsis geminata group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 99: 141-198
  • Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
  • Ward P. S. 2005. A synoptic review of the ants of California (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 936: 1-68.
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