Running rampant: the alien ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Cyprus

Abstract

Biological invasions are considered a major driver of biodiversity loss, particularly on islands. Invasive alien ants can often have severe consequences on native biodiversity. Here, we review published and new information on alien ant species found on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, a biodiversity hotspot. Our checklist of alien ants of Cyprus includes a total of 17 species, of which nine are reported from Cyprus for the first time (*): Camponotus cf. vitiosus Smith, Cardiocondyla mauritanica Forel, 1890, Cardiocondyla obscurior Wheeler, W.M., 1929*, Hypoponera punctatissima (Roger, 1859)*, Monomorium bicolor Emery, 1877, Nylanderia jaegerskioeldi (Mayr, 1904), Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille, 1802), Pheidole fadli Sharaf, 2007*, Pheidole indica Mayr, 1879, Solenopsis sp. (thief ant)*, Tetramorium bicarinatum (Nylander, 1846)*, Tetramorium caldarium (Roger, 1857)*, Tetramorium immigrans Santschi, 1927*, Tetramorium lanuginosum Mayr, 1870*, Trichomyrmex destructor (Jerdon, 1851), Trichomyrmex mayri (Forel, 1902)*, and Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger, 1863). We did not include three previously reported alien species for which we could not find supporting specimens [Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus, 1758), Nylanderia vividula (Nylander, 1846), Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius, 1804)], one based on a previous misidentification [Cardiocondyla nuda (Mayr, 1866)], and two species now considered native to Cyprus [Hypoponera eduardi (Forel, 1894), Monomorium subopacum (F. Smith, 1858)]. Literature records, specimens from field surveys and museum collections, the geographic origin of species, occupied habitats in Cyprus, and notes on invasiveness (spread and impact) are presented for each species. An identification key to distinguish alien from native ant species in Cyprus is provided, including widespread alien ants not yet known from Cyprus in order to support early detection, monitoring, and management efforts.

Cardiocondyla obscurior, a new alien ant in Crete (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

“…In the West-Palearctic it was first collected in Palestine/Israel in 1930 and 1945, and in Germany and in the Canary Islands in 1999 (Seifert 2003) (Figure 1a). In recent years, many new records testified a rapid expansion to other countries in the region (Figure 1a): it was found in France in 2009 (Blatrix et al 2018), in Cyprus in 2012 (Demetriou et al 2023a) (Boer et al 2018), and in Greece (Rhodes) in 2022 (Demetriou et al 2023b). Here we report for the first time the presence of C. obscurior from the Greek island of Crete, where it becomes the eleventh alien species to establish (Salata et al 2020;Demetriou et al 2023b).…”