Exploring the myrmecofauna of Sicily: thirty-two new ant species recorded, including six new to Italy and many new aliens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Abstract

As a result of recent collecting efforts and older unpublished data of one of us (AA), 32 ant species (including 2 morphospecies) new to the island of Sicily (Italy) were discovered. Seven of these taxa represent unequivocally exotic entities, whose discovery marks a decisive increase of this component in the local fauna. Among these, two forms of Nylanderia EMERY, 1906 are treated as morphospecies because of the problematic taxonomy of the genus. Six taxa among the discovered species are entirely new to the myrmecofauna of Italy. Finally, Tetramorium indocile SANTSCHI, 1927 is reported for the first time as a host for the social parasite Strongylognathus testaceus (SCHENCK, 1852). The state of the art of the Sicilian myrmecofauna, now counting about 150 species, is commented on.

Exotic Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Invading Mediterranean Europe: a Brief Summary over About 200 Years of Documented Introductions

“…from France and Nylanderia spp. from Italy -see Blatrix et al, 2018;Schifani & Alicata, 2018) and a dubious identification (Tetramorium cf. simillimum (Smith, F., 1851) from France -see Blatrix et al, 2018).…”

“…Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009 Pheidole indica Mayr, 1879 Legakis, 2011Schifani & Alicata, 2018Acosta & Martinez, 1983 Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius, 1793) Bernard, 1968Espadaler & Pradera, 2016 Plagiolepis alluaudi Emery, 1894Blatrix et al, 2018 Strumigenys membranifera Emery, 1869Agosti & Collingwood, 1987Emery, 1869Espadaler, 1979 Strumigenys silvestrii Emery, 1906Boieiro et al, 2009 Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793) Table 1. Exotic ant species established or seemingly established in France (Corsica, mainland), Greece (Crete, mainland, Peloponnese), Italy (mainland, Sardinia, Sicily) and Spain (mainland).…”

“…For example, Tetramorium bicarinatum, first recorded in the Mediterranean region by Bondroit (1918), is globally considered a low threat (Wetterer, 2009), and usually restricted to indoor areas. However, it has lately started to be reported in outdoor urban contexts in Spain (Reyes & Espadaler, 2005), Italy (Borowiec & Salata, 2015;Schifani & Alicata, 2018) and Greece (Salata et al, 2017). Moreover, in Greece it was also considered by Salata et al (2017) among the three exotic species that displace native ants in the areas they occupy.…”

Aphaenogaster ichnusa Santschi, 1925, bona species, and Redescription of Aphaenogaster subterranea (Latreille, 1798) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

“…Aphaenogaster ichnusa seems to be restricted to areas under the influence of the Mediterranean climate whereas A. subterranea is found in more temperate environments. Although the Tyrrhenian islands are located in the Mediterranean region, both A. subterranea and A. ichnusa are reported from Sicily (Schifani and Alicata, 2018), and only A. ichnusa in Corsica and Sardinia. In Sicily, A. subterranea is found above 1200 m asl and A. ichnusa at lower altitudes (Schifani and Alicata, 2018), confirming opposite climate preferences between the two species.…”

“…Although the Tyrrhenian islands are located in the Mediterranean region, both A. subterranea and A. ichnusa are reported from Sicily (Schifani and Alicata, 2018), and only A. ichnusa in Corsica and Sardinia. In Sicily, A. subterranea is found above 1200 m asl and A. ichnusa at lower altitudes (Schifani and Alicata, 2018), confirming opposite climate preferences between the two species. Our sampling includes a few sites on the transition zone between Mediterranean and temperate climates where the two species are detected a few km apart.…”