Published February 13, 2024
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The ants of the Galápagos Islands (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): a historical overview, checklist, and identification key
Creators
- 1. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium|Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Ecuador|Ghent University, Gent, Belgium|Entomology Museum, Riobamba, Ecuador
- 2. Entomology Museum, Riobamba, Ecuador|University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada|Texas Tech University, Lubbock, United States of America
- 3. New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, United States of America
- 4. Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Ecuador
- 5. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
- 6. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium|Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
Description
The Galápagos ant fauna has long been understudied, with the last taxonomic summary being published almost a century ago. Here, a comprehensive and updated overview of the known ant species of the Galápagos Islands is provided with updated species distributions. The list is based on an extensive review of literature, the identification of more than 382,000 specimens deposited in different entomological collections, and recent expeditions to the islands. The ant fauna is composed of five subfamilies (Dolichoderinae, Dorylinae, Formicinae, Myrmicinae, and Ponerinae), 22 genera, 50 species, and 25 subspecies, although three species (Crematogaster crinosa Mayr, 1862, Camponotus senex (Smith, 1858), and Solenopsis saevissima (Smith, 1855)) are considered dubious records. Finally, an illustrated identification key of the species found in the archipelago is presented.
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References
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