Wednesday, June 27, 2018

A survey of ants in Old Town Key West in Florida and a review of Pheidole megacephala as an archetypal “hegemonic” species



Citation: Sunjian, A (2018). A survey of ants in Old Town Key West in Florida and a review of Pheidole megacephala as an archetypal “hegemonic” species. The Pm Compendium (PMC). https://pheidolemegacephala.blogspot.com/2018/06/a-survey-of-ants-in-old-town-key-west.html

Abstract:

A two-day visual survey of Old Town Key West in Florida in May 2018 was conducted to determine the distribution of urban ants in this city. The census covered approximately 230 hectares and revealed that the area was partitioned into mutually exclusive territories by a Pheidole megacephala cluster on the northern end, and fire ant colonies (Solenopsis invicta and S. geminata) towards the south, although various other non-dominant species were also present. Only a single specimen of the formerly dominant Trichomyrmex destructor was collected during the survey, and its replacement in the city center is discussed within the context of a detailed review of the role of P. megacephala as a so-called “hegemonic species”.

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