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Solenopsis pulleni
| Solenopsis pulleni | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Solenopsidini |
| Genus: | Solenopsis |
| Species complex: | pygmaea |
| Species: | S. pulleni |
| Binomial name | |
| Solenopsis pulleni Pacheco, Mackay & Moreno, 2013
| |
Solenopsis pulleni was collected in a grassy playa surrounded by a ring of mesquite.
Identification
A New World thief ant that is a member of the pygmaea species complex.
Pacheco and Mackay (2013) – Worker - This species concolorous pale yellow with an elongated and coarsely punctated head. The cuticle is translucent, making the eyes difficult to see. The lateral clypeal teeth are well developed while the extralateral teeth are bumps. It is not very pilose, with short erect and suberect hairs of relatively equal length (0.02-0.03 mm) on all body surfaces.
Solenopsis pulleni may be confused with Solenopsis tonsa (Florida and Texas) but can be distinguished by the shape of the head, which is larger, wider and more robust with S. tonsa and thin, with straight lateral edges with S. pulleni. Additionally, S. pulleni is similar to Solenopsis subterranea (USA to Colombia and Venezuela). Solenopsis pulleni can be separated based on the much longer head compared to that of S. subterranea (CI 74.1-83.3 [77.2]).
Keys including this Species
Distribution
United States: New Mexico. Known only from the type locality.
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 32.31994° to 32.31994°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States (type locality).
Distribution based on AntMaps
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
Castes
Known only from the worker caste.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- pulleni. Solenopsis pulleni Pacheco, Mackay & Moreno, in Pacheco & Mackay, 2013: 280, figs. 251, 252 (w.) U.S.A. (New Mexico).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 15 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype U.S.A.: New Mexico, Doña Ana County, Jornada Playa, 8.x.1986, #10 (B. Pullen); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: MCZC (holotype); AMNH, CASC, IAVH, LACM, MCZC, MZSP, USNM, WEMC (paratypes).
- Distribution: U.S.A.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Measurements (n=4). TL 1.38-1.44 (1.43); HL 0.390-0.408 (0.396); HW 0.276-0.294 (0.284); EL 0.024; ED 0.018; SL 0.210-0.222 (0.215); FSL 0.066-0.078 (0.072); CI 127.0-136.1 (132.2); SI 52.9-56.9 (54.2); PL 0.072; PW 0.090-0.096 (0.092); PI 75.0-80.0 (78.8); PPL 0.090-0.102 (0.098); PPW 0.108; PPI 83.3-94.4 (90.3); WL 0.288-0.300 (0.294); PSL 0.018; PSW 0.018.
Concolorous pale yellow; head elongate, dorsal and ventral surfaces flat, sides of head straight, posterior border deeply concave; lateral clypeal teeth well developed, medial tooth absent, extralateral bumps weakly developed; scape extends slightly more than half length of head; eye barely visible, same color as cuticle, ommatidia not evident; mesosoma and petiole as in other members of the complex.
Short (0.020 mm), erect hairs sparse on head, antenna not very hairy, especially club, scape with few suberect hairs; all body surfaces with scattered erect and suberect hairs.
Type Material
Holotype worker [[[MCZC|Museum of Comparative Zoology]]] and 15 paratype workers (American Museum of Natural History, California Academy of Sciences, William and Emma Mackay Collection, Humboldt Institute, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, MCZC, Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, National Museum of Natural History), USA, New Mexico, Dona Ana Co., Jornada Playa, 8-x-1986, B. Pullen #10.
Etymology
Named to honor Barry Pullen, who collected the type series, as well as several other interesting ants.
References
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Johnson R. Personnal Database. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/resources.htm
- 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.
- Ulyssea M. A., C. R. F. Brandao. 2013. Catalogue of Dacetini and Solenopsidini ant type specimens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil. Papies Avulsos de Zoologia 53(14): 187-209.