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1 March 2015 Territorial Status-Quo Between the Big-Headed Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Formosan Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)
Thomas Chouvenc, Aaron J. Mullins, Nan-Yao Su
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

The big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala (Fabr.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) are 2 invasive species in south Florida, and both have a major economic and ecological impact. Because both species are often associated with man-made structures, we investigated how the 2 species interacted when their tunneling system connected, to determine if the big-headed ant had the ability to predate or displace subterranean termite colonies. It was previously suggested that the 2 species had a predator-prey interaction. However in this study we showed that C. formosanus can defend its territory against P. megacephala with minimal loss, and we therefore re-described their interaction as a status quo for habitat competition. It is unlikely that a competitive displacement would take place between C. formosanus and P. megacephala because of their ability to successfully defend their respective nests.

Thomas Chouvenc, Aaron J. Mullins, and Nan-Yao Su "Territorial Status-Quo Between the Big-Headed Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Formosan Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)," Florida Entomologist 98(1), 157-161, (1 March 2015). https://doi.org/10.1653/024.098.0127
Published: 1 March 2015
KEYWORDS
arena plana
competencia
competition
Coptotermes formosanus
displacement
Pheidole megacephala
planar arena
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