Solenopsis tennesseensis

Smith, 1951

Tennessee Thief Ant

Solenopsis tennesseensis is a small in the , described by Smith in 1951. Commonly known as the Tennessee Thief Ant, this species reaches approximately 1 mm in length and exhibits a yellow-brown coloration. It is native to North America, with documented occurrences in Mexico and the United States. The species belongs to the Solenopsis, which includes other well-known thief ants and fire ants.

Solenopsis tennesseensis casent0104524 label 1 by April Nobile. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Solenopsis tennesseensis: /ˌsoʊ.ləˈnɒp.sɪs ˌtɛn.əˌsiːˈɛn.sɪs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

The extremely small size (approximately 1 mm) and yellow-brown coloration distinguish this from larger Solenopsis species such as the (). Accurate identification to species level within the Solenopsis typically requires examination of microscopic morphological features and is best confirmed by taxonomic specialists.

Images

Distribution

Mexico and the United States

Similar Taxa

Solenopsis invictaThe is significantly larger (2-6 mm), more aggressive, and has a reddish-brown to dark brown coloration compared to the smaller, yellow-brown S. tennesseensis.
Solenopsis molestaAnother thief that is similar in size and general appearance; microscopic examination is required for reliable differentiation.

More Details

Taxonomic Note

The was described by Marion R. Smith in 1951. The Solenopsis contains over 200 described species, many of which are poorly known and difficult to distinguish without specialized taxonomic expertise.

Common Name Origin

The 'Tennessee Thief ' refers to the state of Tennessee, which is part of the ' distribution, and the 'thief ant' typical of many Solenopsis species, where they nest near other ant colonies and steal food and from their neighbors.