Monomorium floricola (Jerdon, 1851)

Herrera Léon Baert Wouter Dekoninck, Henri W., Causton, Charlotte E., Sevilla, Christian R., Pozo, Paola & Hendrickx, Frederik, 2020, Distribution and habitat preferences of Galápagos ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 93, pp. 1-60 : 24

Monomorium floricola (Jerdon, 1851)

Bicolored Trailing Ant ( DEYRUP et al., 2000)

(ANTWEB: CASENT0173274). ( Map 20 )

This pantropical species is a tramp ant ( KEMPF, 1972; BOLTON et al., 2006; WETTERER, 2010a) and was introduced to Galapagos via human activities. It is now found on 26 islands where many islets are included. Monomorium floricola typically occurs in littoral and dry zones in natural and disturbed environments as well as in agricultural areas. It was collected for the first time on Genovesa Island in 1923 nesting in dead twigs of B. graveolens (WHEELER, 1924) . It has also been observed to nest in branches of M. octogona and rotten logs. Monomorium floricola is diurnal ( LUBIN, 1984) and can be found in leaf–litter and foraging between rocks and plants in humid and dry forests. This species has been recorded visiting flowers of Plumeria rubra L., O. helleri , S. pedunculata , S. gordilloi , nectaries of O. echios , O. helleri , J. thouarsii and C. lutea , and tending I. purchasi in return for honeydew (WHEELER, 1924; MCMULLEN, 1993; MEIER, 1994; BOADA, 2005; CHAMORRO et al., 2012, HODDLE et al., 2013). This species was also collected in branches of Scalesia baurii Rob. & Greenm. , S. cordata , B. graveolens ( BOADA, 2005) . In agricultural areas it has been found on Citrus spp ., Z. mays and A. comosus . It can be found near houses, in abandoned lots, docks and airports. In gardens it was found on C. papaya , B. graveolens , A. cherimola , Tamarindus indica L., C. lutea , Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. Ex Delile, S. purpurea , Z. matrella var. pacifica and C. nucifera . In Galápagos M. floricola is considered an invasive ant with a high potential to disperse and colonize new natural areas ( CAUSTON et al., 2006).

Figures

Map 20. Distribution of Monomorium floricola (Jerdon, 1851).