Red imported fire ant
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| phylum | Arthropoda | The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), also known as the fire ant or RIFA, is a species of ant native to South America. A member of the genus Solenopsis in the subfamily Myrmicinae, it was described by Swiss entomologist Felix Santschi as a variant in 1916. Its current specific name invicta was given to the ant in 1972 as a separate species. However, the variant and species were the same ant, and the name was preserved due to its wide use. Though South American in origin, the red imported fire ant has been accidentally introduced in Australia, New Zealand, several Asian and Caribbean countries, and the United States.
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| Class | Insecta | |
| order | Hymenoptera | |
| family | Formicidae | |
| Subfamily | Myrmicinae | |
| genus | Solenopsis | |
| species | S. invicta |
