Wasmannia auropunctata
Wasmannia auropunctata |
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It is likely that this species is more widespread than currently recorded, and any new information would be helpful. We have little documentation of life history data, so these results are also welcome.
The "little fire ant" is native to continental Central and South America. Its spread within other areas, listed below, is uniformly considered to be a recent and tied with human activity. The ecology of its invasions in non-native habitats have been studied in the Galápagos (Clark et al 1982, Lubin 1985), and in New Caledonia by Jourdan (1997).
From the Hawaii Ant Group: Distribution on Hawaii
Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk: Locations in Hawaii
Wetterer et al. (1999) found W. auropunctata in many localities throughout Gabon. In addition to these observations, they add: "We know of only two previous records of W. auropunctata in Africa. Santschi (1914) recorded W. auropunctata from Libreville, Gabon (00.20N, 09.30E), an identification confirmed by Wheeler (1922). Subsequently, Bruneau de Miré (1969) reported W. auropunctata from the coastal region of Cameroon near Kribi (02.50N, 09.50E; about 280 km north of Libreville)."
Also from Wetterer et al. (1999): "During the past century, W. auropunctata has invaded surrounding areas, including Florida, Bermuda, and the Galapagos Islands (Wheeler 1929; Smith 1929; Silberglied 1972; Hilburn et al. 1990). In addition, W. auropunctata has become established in several Pacific island groups, including Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands (Fabres & Brown 1978; Jourdan 1997; Wetterer 1997), and most recently Vanuatu (G. Rapp, pers. comm; and an online newsletter) and Hawaii (N. Reimer, pers. comm.). It is also a greenhouse pest in temperate regions, such as England and Canada (Wheeler 1929; Ayre 1977). "
Kempf (1972) lists Wasmannia
auropunctata from Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama,
Colombia, Trinidad, the Guyanas, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Jamaica,
Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, American Virgin Islands,
Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada,
Barbados, Dutch Antillies. Brandao (1991) adds Uruguay and the
Galapagos.
In native and non-native habitat, W. auropunctata nests are highly diffuse. Colonies are highly polydomous and can nest opportunistically in locations that offer little shelter. For example, I've collected nests in in loosely curled leaves, and on open faces of legume pods (Pentaclethra macroloba), where I have never observed other ant species (N>2500 leaf litter nests). W. auropunctata also can be found in decaying twig nests where I wouldn't expect other ants to nest. Nest migration is frequent. Unlike some other invasive ants, W. auropunctata is often a pest within its native habitats, especially in agricultural areas.
Colonies of W. auropunctata can be highly polygynous and polydomous. That being said, I have not collected more than one queen from several colony fragments that I have collected in undisturbed old growth tropical wet forest at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. Queens often escape, but there is no direct evidence for polygyny at this site, and all results there are consistent with monogyny. (Those interested in microsatellites are welcome to these colony fragments, stored in 95% EtOH).
Sites featuring useful
information
Bishop Museum (Hawaii) Wasmannia auropunctata page
Alien invertebrates of Hawaii: contains up-to-date information on the recent discovery of W. auropunctata in Hawaii
Dan Gruner's project to use K-12 students to monitor Wasmannia distributions in Hawaii.
Institut de recherhe pour le développment (New Caledonia) This laboratory is working on several aspects of the W. auropunctata invasion in New Caledonia.
Jacques Delabie, CEPLAC/CEPEC, Brazil Daniel Gruner, University of Hawaii, USA Herve Jourdan, Universite Paul Sabatier, France Julien Le Breton, Centre IRD de Nouvelle-Calédonie Terry McGlynn, University of San Diego, USA James Wetterer, Florida Atlantic University, USA
To add your name as a contact for W. auropunctata, send an email
Clark DB, Guayasmín C, Pazmiño O, Donoso C, and Páez de Villacís Y. 1982. The tramp ant Wasmannia auropunctata: Autecology and effects on ant diversity and distribution on Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos. Biotropica 14:196-207.
Jourdan, H. 1997. Threats on Pacific islands: the spread of the tramp ant Wasmannia auropunctata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pacific Conservation Biology 3: 61-64.
Lubin, Y.D. 1985. Changes in the native fauna of the Galápagos Islands following invasion by the little red fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 21:229-242.
Wetterer, J. K., P. D. Walsh, and L. J. T. White. 1999. Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a highly destructive tramp ant, in wildlife refuges of Gabon, West Africa. African Entomology 7: 292-294.
updated: 5 May 2001 Contributors: McGlynn, Wetterer Author: Terry McGlynn
