Salvatore Brunetti

• Biodiversity Journal, 15 (3): 707-712 - MONOGRAPH

  Salvatore Brunetti
  Alien Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Sicily and Malta: A Review and Updated Checklist
  https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.3.707.712

  ABSTRACT
  In the last few years, due to globalization, which increases and speeds up the movement of people and goods around the world, the number of alien animal and plant species that have accidentally arrived in Europe has increased considerably; as a result, the problem of alien species, and especially invasive ones, has taken on greater significance. Since the Mediterranean has always been one of the main trade routes, it is of primary importance to turn our attention to those areas that constitute the main entry routes for new species into Italy and Europe, such as Sicily and the Maltese archipelago. This publication aims to collect all available data about alien invasive ants recorded in Sicily and Malta. Among all animal taxa, one of the groups with great adaptability and that easily follows human routes is the Formicidae, which also includes species with high invasive potential. Currently in Sicily there are 10 alien ant species, two of which, Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1878) and Solenopsis invicta Buren, 1972 (recently recorded), are invasive. Whereas for the Maltese archipelago 12 ant species are alien, two are considered invasives, namely L. humile and Pheidole indica Mayr, 1879. An additional species, Cardiocondyla mauritanica Forel, 1890, is considered cryptogenic in both countries. For a proper management of alien species, it is essential to carefully monitor the alien species already present on the territory and considered invasive but also to pay attention to those species that have already caused serious damage in other countries and are easy to introduce. Finally, it is important to monitor potential entry routes followed by invasive aliens, especially those involving interchanges between Sicily and the Maltese archipelago.

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