First inventory of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with detection of potential invasive species in National Park of Ehotilés islands, Côte d’Ivoire

Authors

  • Lombart M. M. Kouakou Université Nangui Abrougoa, UFR Sciences Naturelles, Station d’écologie de Lamto, BP 28 N’Douci, Côte d’Ivoire https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9266-8259
  • Dakélé C-V. Yode Université Felix Houphouet Boigny, UFR Biosciences, Laboratoire de Biologie et de Zoologie Animale, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4078-9566
  • N’Guessan F. Koneman Université Nangui Abrogoua, UFR Sciences Naturelles, Station d’écologie de Lamto, BP 28 N’Douci, Côte d’Ivoire
  • Djeneba Ouattara Université Nangui Abrogoua, UFR Sciences Naturelles, Station d’écologie de Lamto, BP 28 N’Douci, Côte d’Ivoire
  • Franck-Ursul Etimandjore Université Nangui Abrogoua, UFR Sciences Naturelles, Station d’écologie de Lamto, BP 28 N’Douci, Côte d’Ivoire
  • Djah F. Malan Université Nangui Abrogoua, UFR Sciences Naturelles, Station d’écologie de Lamto, BP 28 N’Douci, Côte d’Ivoire
  • Kolo Yeo Université Nangui Abrogoua, UFR Sciences Naturelles, Station d’écologie de Lamto, BP 28 N’Douci, Côte d’Ivoire
  • Wouter Dekoninck Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Rue Vautier 29, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v71i1.10099

Keywords:

First inventory, Invasive ants, wetland, National Park of Ehotilés

Abstract

Estuarine and wetland ecosystems are becoming increasingly altered by the concentration of human population near the coastline. A major threat to biodiversity related to this human footprint is the introduction of invasive alien species, particularly in isolated ecosystems like islands where biological invasion is often harmful. The National Park of Ehotilés Islands is an archipelago of 6 islands and a RAMSAR site subjected to disturbances activities like agriculture, illegal fisheries, and tourism. These factors often act as an accelerator for the introduction of invasive species. However, there is a lack of research conducted on insects, specifically ants on these islands. This study aimed to inventory the present ant fauna and estimate the vulnerability to tramp and potential invasive ant species. Ants were collected using Winkler, pitfall, and funnel traps on five islands. In total, 76 ant species were recorded. These species are distributed into 20 genera and five subfamilies: Dolichoderinae (5 species), Formicinae (11 species), Myrmicinae (49 species), Ponerinae (11 species) and Proceratiinae (1 species). We also detected two tramp and potentially invasive species: the ghost ant Tapinoma melanocephalum and the big-headed ant Pheidole megacephala. Ant communities are dominated by six species, namely Odontomachus troglodytes, Oecophylla longinoda, Nylanderia lepida, Pheidole sp.2, Monomorium invidium, and the invasive ghost ant Tapinoma melanocephalum. This work is the first to inventory ants on the Islands of Ehotilés National Park and may serve as a basis for conservation decisions as it demonstrates that this park is not spared from the introduction of invasive ant species.

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Agosti, D., Majer, J.D., Alonso, L.E. & Schultz, T.R. (2000). Standard methods for measuring and monitoring biodiversity. Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, 9: 204-6.

Anderson, L.G., Rocliffe, S., Haddaway, N.R. & Dunn, A.M. (2015). The role of tourism and recreation in the spread of nonnative species: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS One, 10: e0140833.

Bango, K.N. (2005). Diagnostic et mise en place d’une base de données pour une gestion durable du Parc National des îles Ehotilé. Mémoire de DEA, UFR SGE Univ. Abobo-Adjamé. 62 p. + Annexes.

Bolton, B. (1976). The ant tribe Tetramoriini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Constituent genera, review of smaller genera, and review of Triglyphothrix Forel. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology, 34: 283-379.

Bolton, B. (1980). The ant tribe Tetramoriini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The genus Tetramorium Mayr in the Ethiopian zoogeographical region. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology, 40: 193-384.

Bolton, B. (1982). Afrotopical species of the myrmicine Cardiocondyla, Leptothorax, Melissotarsus, Messor and Cataulacus (Formicidae) in the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology, 45: 307-370.

Bolton, B. (1987). A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology, 54: 263-452.

Burwell, C.J., Nakamura, A., McDougall, A. & John Neldner, V. (2012). Invasive African big-headed ants, Pheidole megacephala, on coral cays of the southern Great Barrier Reef: distribution and impacts on other ants. Journal of Insect Conservation, 16: 777-789.

Dejean, A., Moreau, C.S., Uzac, P., Le Breton, J., & Kenne, M. (2007). The predatory behavior of Pheidole megacephala. Comptes Rendus Biologies, 330: 701-709.

Hölldobler, B. & Wilson, E.O. (1990). The ants. Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA, 732 p.

Hulme, P.E. (2009). Trade, transport and trouble: managing invasive species pathways in an era of globalization. Journal of Applied Ecology, 46: 10-18.

Kouakou, L. M. M., Yeo, K., Kone, M., Ouattara, K., Kouakou, A.K., Delsinne, T. & Dekoninck, W. (2018). Espaces verts comme une alternative de conservation de la biodiversité en villes: le cas des fourmis (Hyménoptère: Formicidae) dans le district d’Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire). Journal of Applied Biosciences, 131: 13358-13381.

Kouakou, L.M.M., Yeo, K., Ouattara, K., Dekoninck, W., Delsinne, T. & Konate, S. (2018a). Investigating urban ant community (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in port cities and in major towns along the border in Côte d’Ivoire: a rapid assessment to detect potential introduced invasive ant species. Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 36: 5793-5811.

Kouakou, L.M.M. (2018).Distribution et Biodiversité des fourmis anthropophiles, exotiques et potentielles invasice en Côte d’Ivoire, Thèse unique de Doctorat de l’Université NANGUI ABROGOUA, Abidjan, 1-256 p.

Kwassi, A.E. (2002). Apport de la télédétection satellitaire dans la gestion intégrée du littoral : cartographie des mangroves et de l’occupation du sol des îles Ehotilé (Lagune Aby – Côte d’Ivoire), mémoire de D.E.A. CURAT, Université de Cocody, Abidjan, 71 p.

Lach, L. & Hooper-Bui, L.M. (2010). Consequences of ant invasions. In Ant ecology. Lach, L., Parr, C. & Abbott, K. (eds). Oxford University Press, Oxford, 261-286.

Lu, Y.Y. (2012). Comparison of foraging ability between Solenopsis invicta and Tapinoma melanocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology, 59: 1015-1024.

Malan, D.F. (2008). Utilisations traditionnelles des plantes et perspective de cogestion des aires protégées de Côte d’Ivoire: cas du Parc National des Iles Ehotilé (littoral est de la Côte d’Ivoire) (Doctoral dissertation, PhD Thesis. Abidjan: University of Abobo-Adjamé, Nature Science Department). 238 p.

Milligan, P.D., Martin, T.A., Pringle, E.G., Riginos, C., Mizell, G.M. & Palmer, T. M. (2022). A soil‐nesting invasive ant disrupts carbon dynamics in saplings of a foundational ant-plant. Journal of Ecology, 110: 359-373.

Moreira, D., Morais, V.D., Vieira-da-Motta, O., Campos-Farinha, A.E.D.C. & Tonhasca Jr, A. (2005). Ants as carriers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals. Neotropical Entomology, 34: 999-1006.

Polet, J. (1988). Archéologie des Iles du Pays Eotilé (lagune Aby, Côte d’Ivoire), Thèse de Doctorat d’Etat ès Lettres, Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne, 3 vol., 624 p. + 300p. annexes.

RGPH (Recensement general de la population et de l’habitat) (2014). https://www.ins.ci/documents/rgph/ivoirien18plus.pdf

RGPH (Recensement general de la population et de l’habitat) (2021). https://data.gouv.ci/applications/recensement-generalde-la-population-et-de-lhabitat-rgph-de-2021-simple-table

Vonshak, M. & Gordon, D.M. (2015). Intermediate disturbance promotes invasive ant abundance. Biological Conservation, 186: 359-367.

Wang, C.Y. & Luo, Y.P. (2011). Laboratory evaluation of ant baits on colonies of ghost ants, Tapinoma melanocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Formosan Entomology, 31: 169-177.

Ward, D.F., Beggs, J.R., Clout, M.N., Harris, R.J. & O’Connor, S. (2006). The diversity and origin of exotic ants arriving in New Zealand via human‐mediated dispersal. Diversity and Distributions, 12: 601-609.

Wetterer, J.K. (2009). Worldwide spread of the ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News, 12: 23-33.

Wetterer, J.K. (2009). Worldwide spread of the ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News, 12: 23-33.

Yeo, K. (2006). Dynamique spatiale et diversité des fourmis de la litière et du sol dans une mosaïque foret-savane em Côte d’Ivoire. PhD Thesis, University Pierre Marie Curie and University of Abobo Adjamé.

Yode, C.V.D., Dosso, K., Kouakou, L.M.M., Kolo, Y., Dekoninck, W., Konate, S. & Kouassi, K. P. (2020). Evaluating Efficiency of Different Sampling Methods for Arboreal Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a West African Forest-Savanna Mosaic. Sociobiology, 67: 492-500.

Downloads

Published

2024-01-18

How to Cite

Kouakou, L. M. M., Yode, D. C.-V., Koneman, N. F., Ouattara, D., Etimandjore, F.-U., Malan, D. F., Yeo, K., & Dekoninck, W. (2024). First inventory of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with detection of potential invasive species in National Park of Ehotilés islands, Côte d’Ivoire. Sociobiology, 71(1), e10099. https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v71i1.10099

Issue

Vol. 71 No. 1 (2024)

Section

Research Article - Ants

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Lombart M. M. Kouakou, Dakélé C-V. Yode, N’Guessan F. Koneman, Djeneba Ouattara, Franck-Ursul Etimandjore, Djah F. Malan, Kolo Yeo, Wouter Dekoninck

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Sociobiology is a diamond open access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of open access.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

 

    1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

 

    1. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

 

  1. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).

Most read articles by the same author(s)