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Brachymyrmex patagonicus

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Brachymyrmex patagonicus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Myrmelachistini
Genus: Brachymyrmex
Species:
B. patagonicus
Binomial name
Brachymyrmex patagonicus
Mayr, 1868

Brachymyrmex patagonicus, also known as the black rover ant, is a species of Formicine ant native to Mexico, Central America, South America, and invasive in the United States and Europe.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] [8][9][10] They were first reported in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana in 1978 from a single colony collected in 1976.[11] It is believed that the species was introduced through New Orleans, which is a common entry point for many tropical species, but other locations such as Mobile, Alabama, or Pensacola, Florida, are also likely.[9] For many years B. patagonicus, B. musculus, and B. obscurior were misidentified as being separate species but after a comparison of specimens from the Louisiana State University Arthropod Collection (LSUC), it was found that all three were the same species.[9] B. patagonicus is considered a nuisance pest due to their tendency to infest man-made structures but have received a lack of attention because they do not bite, sting, or carry disease.[9]

Identification

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Dark rover ants are small brown ants that are typically less than 2.5 millimeters in length.[10] Worker ants in this species range from 1.0mm to 2.0mm, whereas queens are around 3.0mm.[12] Males are around 1.0mm in length.[12] The antennae of the worker ants contain nine segments which is common among all species of Brachymyrmex.[13][12] B. patagonicus have long hairs along the mesosoma and relatively large eyes compared to the other species in the Brachymyrmex genus.[13] On the dorsal surface of the gaster, the distribution of appressed hairs is sparse.[13]

Subspecies

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These three subspecies belong to the species Brachymyrmex patagonicus:

  • Brachymyrmex patagonicus atratulus Santschi, 1923 i c g
  • Brachymyrmex patagonicus cordemoyi g
  • Brachymyrmex patagonicus patagonicus Mayr, 1868 i c g

Data sources: i = ITIS,[1] c = Catalogue of Life,[2] g = GBIF,[3] b = Bugguide.net[4]

Diet

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Few studies have been conducted on the diet of B. patagonicus but it has been observed in nature that this species visits extrafloral nectaries for nectar.[14] Another theory suggests that a major part of their diet is honeydew from hemipterans.[9] In Laboratory settings, an artificial diet containing 30% honey solution, liquid tuna mixture, and caterpillar pieces was observed to support B. patagonicus.[15]

Breeding System and Colony Structure

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Most invasive ant species display polygyne tendencies, dispersal by budding, and development of supercolonies that contain hundreds of reproductive queens each.[10] The colony structure of Brachymyrmex patagonicus differs from most invasive ant species in that they are multicolonial and monodomous.[10] This means that each colony consists of a single nest that is genetically different from others around it.[10] In 80% of nests, a single queen heads the colony.[10] In the remaining 20%, there is no queen present.[10] In about 50% of nests headed by a single queen, the queen is only mated by one male.[10]

Dispersal and Habitat

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B. patagonicus is native to South America, and more specifically Argentina and Paraguay. It has been introduced in multiple parts of the world including the United states, Asia, and parts of Europe.[16] In less than 50 years after the introduction of the species into the United States, members of B. patagonicus are now commonly found in 14 states ranging from North Carolina to California.[9][17][18]

B. patagonicus commonly form their colonies in the soil, at bases of trees, in leaf litter, piles of wood, and trash piles.[12] In southern areas of the United states, colonies are found in both natural and disturbed areas but are more prevalent in areas near human activity.[12] In landscaped areas, they are commonly found in mulch and man made structures.[9] Laboratory studies have shown that B. patagonicus have a preference for moist environments[19]

Interaction with other species

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B. patagonicus are found to coexist with many native and introduced species including those typically intolerant to other ant species such as Solenopsis invicta and Solenopsis xyloni.[9] It is hypothesized that B. patagonicus may play an important role in the regulation of the populations of the invasive cactus moth (Cactoblastic cactorum).[14] This theory is currently under investigation.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Brachymyrmex patagonicus Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
  2. ^ a b "Brachymyrmex patagonicus species details". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
  3. ^ a b "Brachymyrmex patagonicus". GBIF. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
  4. ^ a b "Brachymyrmex patagonicus Species Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
  5. ^ Ward, Philip S.; Blaimer, Bonnie B.; Fisher, Brian L. (2016). "A revised phylogenetic classification of the ant subfamily Formicinae(Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with resurrection of the genera Colobopsis and Dinomyrmex". Zootaxa. 4072 (3). Magnolia Press: 343–57. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4072.3.4. PMID 27395929.
  6. ^ Christopher M. Wilson; Autumn Smith-Herron (2016). "Morphology of the male genitalia of Brachymyrmex and their implications in the Formicinae phylogeny". Journal of Hymenoptera Research. 50. Pensoft Publishers: 81–95. doi:10.3897/JHR.50.8697. ISSN 1070-9428.
  7. ^ "AntWeb". California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
  8. ^ Economo, Evan; Guénard, Benoit. "antmaps.org Brachymyrmex patagonicus". antmaps.org. Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h MacGown, Joe A.; Hill, JoVonn G.; Deyrup, Mark A. (September 2007). "Brachymyrmex Patagonicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), an Emerging Pest Species in the Southeastern United States". Florida Entomologist. 90 (3): 457–464. doi:10.1653/0015-4040(2007)90[457:bphfae]2.0.co;2. ISSN 0015-4040. S2CID 28943814.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Eyer, Pierre‐André; Espinoza, Elida M.; Blumenfeld, Alexander J.; Vargo, Edward L. (2019-12-08). "The underdog invader: Breeding system and colony genetic structure of the dark rover ant (Brachymyrmex patagonicusMayr)". Ecology and Evolution. 10 (1): 493–505. doi:10.1002/ece3.5917. ISSN 2045-7758. PMC 6972842. PMID 31993123. S2CID 210944979.
  11. ^ Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. (1978). "Brachymyrmex musculus, a new ant in the United States". Entomological News (USA).
  12. ^ a b c d e Tamayo, David (2011). "Dark rover ant: Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr". Florida Cooperative Extension Service Document. EENY-498.
  13. ^ a b c "Rover Ants (Brachymyrmex patagonicus), an emerging pest species". Myrmecos Blog. 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  14. ^ a b c Robbins, Meredith; Miller, Tom E. X. (June 2009). "Patterns of Ant Activity onOpuntia stricta(Cactaceae), a Native Host-Plant of the Invasive Cactus Moth,Cactoblastis cactorum(Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)". Florida Entomologist. 92 (2): 391–393. doi:10.1653/024.092.0231. ISSN 0015-4040. S2CID 85642097.
  15. ^ Miguelena, Javier G; Baker, Paul B (2019-06-15). "Effects of Urbanization on the Diversity, Abundance, and Composition of Ant Assemblages in an Arid City". Environmental Entomology. 48 (4): 836–846. doi:10.1093/ee/nvz069. hdl:10150/636275. ISSN 0046-225X. PMID 31201775.
  16. ^ Guenard, Benoit (2018-12-31). "First record of the emerging global pest Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr 1868 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from continental Asia". Asian Myrmecology. 10 (1): 1–6. doi:10.20362/am.010012.
  17. ^ Hill, Jovonn G. (June 2017). "First Report of the Dark Rover Ant, Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), from Tennessee". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 143 (2): 517–520. doi:10.3157/061.143.0218. ISSN 0002-8320. S2CID 90600970.
  18. ^ Macgown, Joe A.; Booher, Doug; Richter, Heath; Wetterer, James K.; Hill, Jovonn G. (2021-12-31). "An Updated List of Ants of Alabama (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with New State Records". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 147 (4). doi:10.3157/061.147.0409. ISSN 0002-8320. S2CID 245814186.
  19. ^ Miguelena, Javier; Baker, Paul (2014-11-04). "Evaluation of Liquid and Bait Insecticides against the Dark Rover Ant (Brachymyrmex patagonicus)". Insects. 5 (4): 832–848. doi:10.3390/insects5040832. ISSN 2075-4450. PMC 4592605. PMID 26462943.

Further reading

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