Solenopsis globularia Smith 1858

Solenopsis globularia Smith, 185 Materials Type status: Other material. Occurrence: individualCount: 2 workers; occurrenceID: 1A1DDE49-A486-54B8-9D37-2FF4A2287845; Taxon: genus: Solenopsis; specificEpithet: globularia; scientificNameAuthorship: Smith, 1858; Location: island: La Réunion; country: France; municipality: Etang-Salé; locality: Piton Reinette; verbatimElevation: 53 m; decimalLatitude: - 21.27444; decimalLongitude: 55.34750; Identification: identifiedBy: D. Carval, T. Ramage; Event: samplingProtocol: aspirator; verbatimEventDate: 25. IV. 2023; habitat: litter; Record Level: collectionID: CDC Type status: Other material. Occurrence: individualCount: 2 workers; occurrenceID: 3BF9971A-F882-5C5A-A268-CB6838C68BEB; Taxon: genus: Solenopsis; specificEpithet: globularia; scientificNameAuthorship: Smith, 1858; Location: island: La Réunion; country: France; municipality: Etang-Salé; locality: Beach front; verbatimElevation: 11 m; decimalLatitude: - 21.26250; decimalLongitude: 55.33278; Identification: identifiedBy: D. Carval, T. Ramage; Event: samplingProtocol: aspirator; verbatimEventDate: 25. IV. 2023; habitat: beach front; Record Level: collectionID: CDC Diagnosis This species can be confused with the two other Solenopsis species (Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius, 1804) and Solenopsis mameti Donisthorpe, 1946) as well as with the three Cardiocondyla species reported from La Réunion Island: Cardiocondyla emeryi Forel, 1881, Cardiocondyla itsukii and Cardiocondyla wroughtonii (Forel, 1890). It differs from other Solenopsis by its enlarged postpetiole and from Cardiocondyla species by its 2 - segmented antennal club and the absence of propodeal spines (Fig. 9). Distribution This introduced species is native to south-eastern regions of the United States, Caribbean, Central America and South America. It has been introduced to several African countries and islands, as well as the Philippines and Oceania (French Polynesia, Galápagos, Hawaii) (Pacheco and Mackay 2013). Ecology According to Wetterer (2019), this intermediate-sized invasive species behaves more like a small fire ant rather than a thief ant. This species forages on the ground and may be collected at bait traps and nests under rocks and logs (Pacheco and Mackay 2013).