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1 October 2013 Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius 1793) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): a new invasive ant in the Galápagos Islands
Henri W. Herrera, Christian R. Sevilla, Wouter Dekoninck
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

The first record and distribution of the bigheaded ant, Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius 1793) in the Galápagos Islands are reported. Major and minor workers have been collected in the towns of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristóbal Island), Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz Island), Puerto Villamil (Isabela Island) and in the highlands of San Cristóbal. Field surveys and a revision of the Formicidae collection in the Invertebrates collection at the Charles Darwin Research Station (ICCDRS), California Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) suggest that this species reached the Galápagos Archipelago within the last seven years. The potential impact on native fauna of P. megacephala is discussed and appropriate measures to control and stop the spread of this species are mentioned.

El primer registro y actual distribución de la hormiga cabezona Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius, 1793) son reportados para las islas Galápagos. Varias obreras fueron colectadas en los poblados de Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (Isla San Cristóbal), Puerto Ayora (Isla Santa Cruz), Puerto Villamil (Isla Isabela) y parte alta de la Isla San Cristóbal. Colectas en el campo y revisiones a las colecciones de Formicidae de la Estación Científica Charles Darwin (ICCDRS), Academia de Ciencias de California (CAS) y el Real Instituto Belga de Ciencias Naturales (RBINS), sugieren su establecimiento en los últimos siete años. El potencial impacto de P. megacephala sobre la fauna nativa del archipiélago es discutido. Medidas para su control y evitar su dispersión son comentadas.

Pacific Coast Entomological Society
Henri W. Herrera, Christian R. Sevilla, and Wouter Dekoninck "Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius 1793) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): a new invasive ant in the Galápagos Islands," The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 89(4), 234-243, (1 October 2013). https://doi.org/10.3956/2013-16.1
Received: 15 May 2013; Published: 1 October 2013
KEYWORDS
bigheaded ant
control measurements
Galápagos Archipelago
introduction
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