Solenopsis saevissima (F. Smith)

Type location Brazil (Myrmica saevissima, Smith, 1855c: 11, illustrated, major & minor workers; ); subspecies itinerans ( Solenopsis pylades Forel v. itinerans n.var, Forel, 1911f: 276, worker; note pylades was reduced to a junior synonym of S. xyloni by Trager, 1991: 166) from Tanzania (Kagera area, not Kenya, as listed by Bolton, 1995); there are various junior synonyms but all are from South America; all forms described (see Bolton, 1995) .

F Smith's (1855c) illustrated description is at . Forel's (1904c: 173, worker, queen & male) description of the junior synonym moelleri from Cayenne, Brazil is at . Forel's (1911f) description of itinerans is at .

Forel (1911f) has itinerans as (my translation) - "Very similar to the variety richteri Forel, but entirely brown; the head a little narrower, the noes also narrower and the pilosity slightly less abundant. Kigerama, East Africa, between the great lakes (Breslau Museum). This American species has evidently been imported into Africa with some plants, if it is not an error made at the Museum". Santschi (1914d: 355) simply reported Solenopsis pylades For. v. itinerans For. as "Guinée française: Conakry 4 workers". Without sighting the specimens, I feel these identifications could easily have been wrong.

Creighton (1930) gave a description and illustrations, this is at and . .

S. richteri from Argentina was raised to species by Buren (1972: 4) in his attempt to clarify the status of genus members regarded as imported into the USA. The "S. richteri" as it was known in the USA he redesignated as Solenopsis invicta n.sp. In very simple terms, S. richteri majors have a very distinctive large bright spot on an otherwise nearly black gaster; the rest of the body piceous brown. In general S. invicta appears to be somewaht lighter in appearance.

The general colouration of S. saevissima Buren gave as largely pale to darker yellow, with smaller workers often duller; the frons is distinctively yellowish with the mandibles and often the antennae dark brown.

A comprehensive illustrated description was provided by Trager (1991: 188), this is at and .

The photographs right are of Solenopsis saevissima from Ñeembucú, Paraguay and are adapted from the superb Myrmecos.net series taken by Alex Wild (click to see originals).