Linepithema humile

    

DRAFT WEBSITE; DO NOT CITE

Introduction

The Argentine ant is one of the most widespread invasive ant species. This native of South America is now found throughout the world. though this species can exist in a variety of enviornments, a subjective assessment shows that it is most abundant in Mediterrenean (chaparral) climates in California, Europe, southwestern Africa, southwestern Australia, and Chile. Several active research groups are exploring the basic and applied biology of Argentine ants, including topics such as the impacts of invasion, competition with native species, reproductive biology and life history, nestmate recognition, the evolution of social behavior, and potential biocontrol agents. While much of the research on Argentine ants appears in peer reviewed scientific literature. This webpage is designed to disseminate significant information about this species among researchers and to the public. This website should not be cited as a scientific reference, but can serve as a pointer to published information cited at the bottom of this page.

Known geographic range (Contribution from Suarez):

Dates Argentine ants were first detected in countries and islands throughout the world. Numbers refer to locations on world map.

Introduced Populations

No.

Year

Collection

Location (Ref. in Suarez et al. 2001)

1

1940

United States: Hawaii

 HDOA (43)

2

1907

United States: California

(32)

3

1891

United States: Louisiana

(32)

4

1938

Mexico: Baja California

CASC

5

1946

Mexico: (Mexico City)

USNH

6

1949

Bermuda

(44)

7

1974

Peru: (Lima)

(46)

8

1987

Easter Island

USNH (47)

9

1910

Chile

(32)

10

1927

Britain

(48)

11

1900

Portugal: (Lisbon)

(50)

12

1905

France

(51)

13

1980

Switzerland

(52)

14

1926

Italy: Sicily

(48)

15

1970

Corsica

(53)

16

1923

Spain

(54)

17

1940

Azores

USNH

18

1882

Madeira

(55)

19

1965

Grand Canary

FMNH

20

1901

South Africa: (Stellenbosch)

(56)

21

1995

United Arab Emirates

(57)

22

1993

Japan: Hiroshima

(58)

23

1941

Australia: Western Australia

(59)

24

?

Australia: South Australia

P. Ward (p. comm)

25

1939

Australia: Victoria

USNH (59)

26

1950

Australia: New South Wales

FMNH

27

1951

Tasmania: (Hobart)

(59)

28

1990

New Zealand

(60)

Native Populations
Letter Location Collection (Ref. in Suarez et al. 2001)

A

Argentina, Buenos Aires Prov.

type local., Mayr 1868

Argentina, Entre Rios Prov.

MACN; this study

Argentina, Corrientes Prov.

MACN; this study

Argentina, Missiones Prov.

MACN; this study

Argentina, Chaco Prov.

MACN

Argentina, Formosa Prov.

MACN

Argentina, Tucumán Prov.*

MACN

Argentina, Catamarca Prov.*

MACN

Argentina, Jujuy Prov.*

MACN

Argentina, Cordoba Prov.

MACN

Argentina, Santa Fe Prov.

this study

B

Uruguay, (Carasco)

USNH

Uruguay, Canelones Prov.

MACN

Uruguay, Colonia Prov.

MACN

C

Paraguay, (Asari)

MACN

D

Brazil, Sao Paulo Prov.*

(32,36)

Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul Prov.*

(32)

Brazil, Minas Gerais Prov.*

(61)

Brazil, Mato Grosso do Sul*

(36)

 

* These records may represent a native Linepithema species other than L.humile. 
HDOA = Hawaii Department of Agriculture; CASC = California Academy of Sciences;
USNH = United States National Museum; FMNH = Field Museum of Natural History;
MACN = Museo de Ciencas Naturales, Buenos Aires

Who can I contact to learn more about L. humile?

The following people are listed as L. humile researchers in the researcher directory: Gordon, Green, Holway, Keller, Lach, Majer, Oboyski, Sanders, Suarez, and Wagner. This is not a full representation of those working on this species.

A few references

Suarez, A.V., D.A. Holway, and T.J. Case. 2001. Patterns of spread in biological invasions dominated by long-distance jump dispersal: Insights from Argentine ants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (US): 1095-1100.

 Suarez, A. V., N. D. Tsutsui, D. A. Holway and T.J. Case. 1999. Behavioral and genetic differentiation between native and introduced populations of the Argentine ant. BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS 1:43-53.

Tsutsui, N. D., A. V. Suarez, D. A. Holway and T. J. Case. 2000. Reduced genetic variation and the success of an invasive species. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, USA 97:5948-5953.

Tsutsui, N. D. and T. J. Case. 2001. Population genetics and colony structure of the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) in its native and introduced ranges. EVOLUTION 55:976-985.

Tsutsui, N. D., A. V. Suarez, D. A. Holway, and T. J. Case. 2001. Relationships among native and introduced populations of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile and the source of introduced populations. MOLECULAR ECOLOGY 10:2151-2161.

Suarez, A. V., D. A. Holway, D. Liang, N. D. Tsutsui, and T. J. Case. 2002. Spatio-temporal patterns of intraspecific aggression in the invasive Argentine ant. ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR In press.

Tsutsui, N. D. and A. V. Suarez. 2002. The colony structure and population biology of invasive ants. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY In press.

Holway, D. A., L. Lach, A. V. Suarez, N. D. Tsutsui, and T. J. Case. 2002. The ecological causes and consequences of ant invasions. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY AND SYSTEMATICS In press.

created: 26 February 2001
updated:  Tue, 17 Sep 2002
Contributors: McGlynn, Suarez
Page author: Terry McGlynn