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
Solenopsis gnoma
Pacheco, Herrera & Mackay, 2007
(ANTWEB: CASENT0104994, CASENT0104995). (
Map 30
)
This species of thief ant is probably endemic to
Galápagos
and is found on eight islands. It is usually collected in the Transition and the Humid zone. Museum records date back to 1986 on Sierra Negra volcano on
Isabela
. Nests have been observed in rotten logs, rotten branches and in nests of the introduced ant
T. bicarinatum
(
PACHECO
et al.,
2007
)
. On
Santa Cruz
Island,
Solenopsis gnoma
is primarily an inhabitant of humid areas, being found in litter of
Scalesia
forests, ferns, secondary successional forests,
Miconia
zone and patches of
Sphagnum
. Specimens were collected in urban areas on
B. graveolens
,
C. pyriformis
,
C. lutea
and on grasses. In agricultural areas it is known from the crops
S. tuberosum
,
M. esculenta
,
and
C. arabica
planted under
S. pedunculata
trees.