Solenopsis richteri Forel, 1909

Black imported fire ant

Species recognized by T Orrell (custodian), The Integrated Taxonomic Information System external link in 
IUCN Red List Status: NOT EVALUATED external link Switch to common names

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Solenopsis richteri Forel, 1909

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Table Of Contents

Morphology

Physical Description

Source and Additional Information
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Animal Diversity Web external link
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Wade Kothmann
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Characteristics common to all fire ants include a two-segmented waist, an absence of spines on the back of the ant (specifically, the propodeum), and a long hair (or seta) in the middle of the clypeus (just above the jaws). Workers have ten-segmented antennae, the last two segments of which form a distinct club. A characteristic seen only among the two species of imported fire ant is the median tooth centered along the front edge of the clypeus, which is flanked by two lateral teeth. The final distinctions used to identify S. richteri are its black or dark brown coloration from which its name derives and a characteristic yellow spot on its gaster.

Caste differentiation among BIFA is relatively easy. Males are winged, stingless, and larger than the females (with exception of the queen). Before having mated, unfertilized (virgin) queens are winged, and their gaster (abdominal area) is much larger than males or workers. After mating, fertilized queens quickly lose their wings, but their size and swollen gaster continues to make them quite distinct. Sterile females are dimorphic, with majors being distinctly larger than minors (although as colonies grow older sizes vary more). (Arnett and Jr., 1985; Campbell, Reece, and Mitchell, 1999; Holldobler and Wilson, 1990; Holldobler and Wilson, 1994; Taber, 2000)