Wasmannia auropunctata
From Galapedia
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Wasmannia auropunctata
Physical Description
Small and red.
Range
In Galapagos it is found on the following islands: Albany, Champion, Cousin, Edén, Española, Floreana, Isabela, Mao, Marchena, Pinzón, San Cristóbal, Santa Cruz, Santa Fé, Santiago, Seymour Norte.
Status
The little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata is listed as one of the 100 worst invaders in the world by the Invasive Species Specialist Group of The World Conservation Union (IUCN). In the last 25 years, at least seven Pacific island groups including Hawaii and recently Tahiti have been successfully colonized by W. auropunctata. This fire ant is having serious impacts on the biodiversity of islands and continents. It preys on invertebrates and small vertebrates, blinds larger vertebrates, while a mutualistic relationship with scale insects and aphids can seriously debilitate plants. It also affects agricultural activities (painful stings affect farm work), domestic animals, and can produce allergic reactions in humans.
References
Abedrabbo, S. 1994. Control of the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, on Santa Fe Island in the Galapagos Islands. pp. 219–227 in Williams, D. F. (ed.) Exotic ants: biology, impact, and control of introduced species. Westview Press, Boulder. 332 pp.
Causton, C.E., Sevilla, C and S.D. Porter. 2005. Eradication of the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata from Marchena Island, Galápagos: On the edge of success? Florida Entomologist 88: 159-168.
Global Invasive Species Database, 2005. Wasmannia auropunctata. Available from: http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=58&fr=1&sts=sss
Lubin, Y. 1984. Changes in the native fauna of the Galápagos Islands following invasion by the little fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 21: 229- 242.
Ulloa Chacón, P. and Cherix, D. 1994. Perspectives on control of the little fire ant, (Wasmannia auropunctata), on the Galapagos Islands. In Williams, D. F. (ed.) Exotic ants: Biology, impact, and control of introduced species. Westview Press, Boulder, CO: 63-72.
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