Solenopsis scelesta Forel 1908

Wild, Alexander L., 2007, A catalogue of the ants of Paraguay (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 1622, pp. 1-55 : 53

Solenopsis scelesta Forel 1908 b. NEW STATUS.

Solenopsis decipiens var. scelesta Forel 1908b : 364. [w syntypes examined, MHNG, NHMB; São Paulo, Brasil (Ihering)].

Solenopsis scelesta is a relatively gracile species that can be recognized by the following combination of character states: head width> 0.4 mm; compound eyes comprised of about 8-10 ommatidia; dorsal propodeal face about twice as long as declivitous face; dorsal face of propodeum smooth and without sculpture. Material from Paraguay is a close match to Forel’s types from São Paulo. I have not examined Emery’s type of S. decipiens , but Forel’s description of S. scelesta based on differences in thoracic structure, antennal scape length, and eye size suggests that it is unlikely that both forms are conspecific. I change the status of Solenopsis scelesta to eliminate the trinomen.