Hormigas invasoras del Ecuador continental, un primer relato

Abstract

 Management of invasive species is considered one of the great challenges deriving from Global Change that our societies currently face, besides deforestation and the warming of the atmosphere. Little is known about the invasive ants in continental Ecuador, despite the world-wide demonstrated aggressiveness, negative ecological impact, and economic losses caused by them. Most Ecuadorian records are from the Galápagos Islands and there is yet no inventory for the mainland. Gleaning records from the literature and local entomological collections, we present the first list of invasive ants present on mainland Ecuador. A total of 16 invasive ant species are recorded. Ten ant species are foreign to the country. The remaining six ant species are native to Ecuador and invasive elsewhere. Records of Cardiocondyla minutior, Monomorium floricola, Monomorium pharaonis, Tapinoma melanocephalum, and Tetramorium bicarinatum are the first ones for continental Ecuador. Furthermore, Cardiocondyla wroughtonii and Tetramorium lucayanum are reported for the first time for the country.