Distribution and habitat preferences of Galápagos ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Author
Herrera Léon Baert Wouter Dekoninck, Henri W.
Author
Causton, Charlotte E.
Author
Sevilla, Christian R.
Author
Pozo, Paola
Author
Hendrickx, Frederik
text
Belgian Journal of Entomology
2020
93
1
60
journal article
302430
10.5281/zenodo.13710313
83b9d93e-6482-4509-82e7-d477e479612b
2295-0214
13710313
2612CE09-F7FF-45CD-B52E-99F04DC2AA56
Pheidole flavens
Roger, 1863
Yellow Big–Headed Ant (
DEYRUP
et al.,
2000
)
(ANTWEB: CASENT0173263). (
Map 23
)
Widespread in the Neotropics (
KEMPF
, 1972
;
WILSON
, 2003;
BOLTON
et al.,
2006
).
Pheidole flavens
is an introduced species which is found on three islands in natural and disturbed areas. Mostly found in humid zones, it was recorded in
Galápagos
for the first time in 1888 from
Isabela
Island (
WHEELER
, 1919). In 1982 it was recorded on
Santa Cruz
(
CLARK
, 1982
). Nests have been found in rotten trunks in moist areas and bark of dead trunks of
B. graveolens
. Workers have been collected in litter in secondary forests as well as in closed woodland dominated by
P. floribunda
,
Z. fagara
,
C. scouleri
,
P. galapageium
and
Scalesia
forest.
Pheidole flavens
has been recorded in crops of
C. arabica
,
S. officinarum
,
A. cepa
,
M. paradisiaca
,
P. guajava
,
C. annuum
and
S. lycopersicum
. It was collected on trees of
C. papaya
in Puerto Ayora. So far, there is no evidence that
P. flavens
should be considered an invasive species in
Galápagos
.