Pseudacteon Phorid Flies: Host Specificity and Impacts on Solenopsis Fire Ants

Abstract

Human commerce has resulted in the spread of the imported fire ants, Solenopsis species, worldwide. Six species of parasitic Pseudacteon phorid flies that are highly host specific to the Solenopsis saevissima complex of Solenopsis fire ants have been successfully released in the southern United States. The presence of Pseudacteon phorid flies, in addition to having direct mortality effects on their host ants, modifies foraging behavior and disrupts interspecific competition between host species and other ant species in the community. Fire ant workers have evolved effective methods to cope with parasitism pressure, which may relieve population-level impacts of introduced phorid flies. This review focuses on the mechanisms underlying host location, host preference, and host-size selection of Pseudacteon phorid flies and highlights their direct and indirect effects on fire ant populations. Knowledge gained from parasitoid-ant interactions will enhance use of natural enemies as biological control agents for invasive social insects.

Phorid species from Acromyrmex’s hosts and effect on their survival of two fungi proposed for the control of leafcutter ants

“…This information could help when rearing parasitoids, for example by separating the preferred ant sizes with sieves before oviposition. A similar pattern was detected for Pseudacteon parasitoids, specialists of Solenopsis ants (Chen & Fadamiro, 2018). Folgarait et al (2005) proposed that there is a minimum head size that allows phorid developmenthere we showed that non-viable pupae of A. ambiguus and A. heyeri from Corrientes were found in significantly smaller head sizes than viable ones.…”

Interspecific Eavesdropping on Ant Chemical Communication

“…At least 36 Pseudacteon phorid species parasitize Solenopsis invicta and Solenopsis saevissima; 17 phorid species attack Solenopsis invicta alone (reviewed in Chen and Fadamiro, 2018). The small Pseudacteon flies are attracted to disturbed fire ant mounds and hover above distressed and alarmed ants.…”

“…(Blum and Brand, 1972). While work centered on host ant preference by various associates is important foundational research [e.g., Eucharitidae wasps (Murray et al, 2013); Paussus ant-nest beetles (Moore and Robertson, 2014); phorid flies (Mathis and Philpott, 2012;Chen and Fadamiro, 2018); social parasites (Lenoir et al, 2001;Buschinger, 2009)], this hypothesis shifts the focus to the associate community where network-based analyses will prove useful (Ivens et al, 2016). In order to investigate this hypothesis, we must begin with host lineages having (1) a well-resolved phylogeny, (2) a well-studied communication system, and (3) numerous known associates.…”

Biology of Pseudacteon Decapitating Flies (Diptera: Phoridae) That Parasitize Ants of the Solenopsis saevissima Complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in South America

“…Pseudacteon decapitating flies are specific parasitoids of ants [1]. At least 22 species of Pseudacteon flies are known to attack South American fire ants in the Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) complex [2][3][4]. Seventeen species are parasitoids of the black imported fire ant, Solenopsis richteri, and the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta [2].…”

“…At least 22 species of Pseudacteon flies are known to attack South American fire ants in the Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) complex [2][3][4]. Seventeen species are parasitoids of the black imported fire ant, Solenopsis richteri, and the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta [2]. These fly species are specific to S. saevissima complex fire ants and do not occur in populations of Solenopsis geminata complex fire ants native to North and Central America [2,[5][6][7].…”