Characteristics of 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers in the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren

We have characterized 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci in the invasive ant Solenopsis invicta. Primer pairs were evaluated on fire ants collected from monogyne mounds in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. The observed and effective number of alleles ranged from two to six and from 1.31 to 2.64, respectively. The observed and expected heterozygosity values ranged from 0.1613 to 0.7826 and from 0.1491 to 0.6242, respectively. The polymorphism information content of the microsatellites ranged from 0.1482 to 0.6208. Probability tests indicated significant deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at three loci. Pairwise tests did not detect linkage disequilibrium between any pair of loci.     

红火蚁入侵对广东多种生境中蚂蚁类群的影响

采用陷阱法和诱饵诱集法研究了深圳红火蚁发生区和未发生区蚂蚁的类群多样性和相似性.结果表明:草坪和荒草地红火蚁发生区域的蚂蚁物种数明显减少,且草坪中蚂蚁种类减少的程度(6种)大于荒草地 (3种).红火蚁入侵后荔枝园、荒草地和草坪的蚂蚁优势种发生了明显改变,红火蚁替代了原来的优势蚂蚁种类,在数量上占据了主导地位,在荒草地和草坪这种优势种的改变更为明显.对蚂蚁类群指数的分析表明:红火蚁入侵荒草地和草坪后蚂蚁类群的多样性、均匀度降低,优势度明显增大;而荔枝园中蚂蚁类群多样性指数、均匀度指数均增大,优势度指数降低.荔枝园、荒草地和草坪的红火蚁发生区和未发生区蚂蚁类群相似性系数不同,分别为0.6316、0.5882和0.2941.     

A formal assessment of gene flow and selection in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

Abstract.— Recent studies of the introduced fire ant Solenopsis invicta suggest that introduced polygyne (with multiple queens per nest) populations are strongly influenced by male-mediated gene flow from neighboring monogyne (single queen per nest) populations and selection acting on a single locus, general protein-9 (Gp-9) . This investigation formally tests this hypothesis and determines if these processes can account for the genotypic structure of polygyne S. invicta . To increase the statistical power of this test, we considered the genotypes of polygyne queens and workers at both Gp-9 and the closely linked, selectively neutral locus Pgm-3 . We then constructed and analyzed a novel mathematical model to delimit the effects of monogyne male gene flow and selection on the joint genotypes at the Pgm-3/Gp-9 superlocus. Using this framework, a hierarchical maximum-likelihood method was developed to estimate the best-fitting gene flow and selection parameters based on the fit of our model to data from both the current study and an earlier one of the same population. In each case, selection on polygyne queens and workers alone, with no monogyne male gene flow, provides the most parsimonious explanation for the observed genotype frequencies. The apparent discrepancy between this result and the empirical evidence for monogyne male gene flow indicates that undocumented factors, such as other forms of selection in polygyne males or workers, are operating in introduced polygyne S. invicta .     

广东吴川红火蚁消长规律

采用系统调查的方法研究广东吴川红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren蚁巢数量、蚁丘体积和工蚁的年度变化规律,结果表明1年之中红火蚁活动蚁巢密度出现2个高峰期,分别在6~8月和10~12月;4~7月和10~11月新增活动蚁巢数量较大;蚁巢自然消亡出现在多个时间,其中以9月最多。4~11月红火蚁工蚁活动旺盛,用诱饵诱集法监测,5、6月和10、11月红火蚁工蚁出现2个明显盛期,而陷阱法中工蚁数量为单峰型,高峰出现在7月。2种监测方法获得的工蚁数量间相关系数为0.88,达到极显著相关。气温、地表温度、5cm土壤温度与2种方法获得的工蚁数量间相关系数分别为0.88,0.88,0.86和0.93,0.94,0.95,均达极显著水平。红火蚁蚁丘体积4~6月、9~12月增大幅度较大,其中6月份蚁巢增长最为明显。     

三种植物源药剂对红火蚁的防治效果评估及其对本地蚂蚁群落影响

红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren是一种危险性入侵害虫,可对人类健康、农林业生产、公共安全和生态系统产生严重的负面影响。目前,化学农药是防治红火蚁的主要方法。然而,大多数化学农药并不适用于有机农场、水产养殖区等生态敏感区。为筛选出用于生态敏感区红火蚁防治的药剂,本文结合室内和田间试验评估了植物源杀虫剂苦参碱Matrine、鱼藤酮Rotenone和除虫菊素Pyrethrin对红火蚁的防治效果。室内试验结果表明,苦参碱、鱼藤酮和除虫菊素对红火蚁均具有较高的毒性。田间试验表明,25.00 mg/L和12.50 mg/L苦参碱、250.00 mg/L 和125 mg/L鱼藤酮、75.00 mg/L和37.50 mg/L除虫菊素灌巢处理,红火蚁蚁巢减退率分别达到100%、81.25%、87.50%、79.17%、71.73%和66.67%。然而,除25.00 mg/L苦参碱外,其他处理均导致在被灌巢的蚁巢周围短期内出现新蚁巢。灌巢处理后,处理区的蚂蚁多样性指数和均匀度指数升高,优势度指数下降。综上所述,苦参碱、鱼藤酮和除虫菊素适合灌巢处理防治红火蚁,其中0.5%苦参碱可溶性液剂能有效降低红火蚁种群数量,使得蚁巢减退率达100%,同时对本地蚂蚁群落没有负面影响,因此该商品制剂在红火蚁防治方面具有较好的开发潜力。     

红火蚁与两种本地蚂蚁间的干扰竞争

为了探讨重大入侵生物红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren与本地蚂蚁的竞争机制以及红火蚁成功入侵的机理, 本研究以红火蚁和2种本地蚂蚁黑头酸臭蚁Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius)及亮红大头蚁Pheidole fervida Smith为材料, 室内测定了红火蚁分别与黑头酸臭蚁、亮红大头蚁之间在个体水平和种群水平上的攻击性和攻击强度。一对一攻击试验结果表明：红火蚁和黑头酸臭蚁之间攻击级别多集中在Ⅲ级, 即竞争优势明显的红火蚁对黑头酸臭蚁缺乏激烈的攻击, 只是在相互攻击时多摆出威胁姿势; 红火蚁与亮红大头蚁之间攻击性较强, 尤其是红火蚁中型和小型工蚁与亮红大头蚁兵蚁之间的攻击性（3.35和3.30）显著强于红火蚁大型工蚁与亮红大头蚁兵蚁的攻击性（2.70）。群体攻击试验结果表明：与黑头酸臭蚁群体攻击的红火蚁各处理组合中, 无死亡红火蚁出现, 而黑头酸臭蚁死亡率为31.80%; 而与亮红大头蚁群体攻击中, 红火蚁死亡率为0.20%~12.00%, 而亮红大头蚁平均死亡率为49.91%。可见, 红火蚁的群体攻击能力强于黑头酸臭蚁和亮红大头蚁, 其中红火蚁与亮红大头蚁间的相互攻击程度激烈, 死亡率较高, 而与黑头酸臭蚁间的攻击程度较弱, 可能由于黑头酸臭蚁化学防御对本身起到一定的保护作用, 这为进一步加强红火蚁发生区本地蚂蚁优势种--黑头酸臭蚁的保护利用提供理论基础。     

Effect of queen number on the production of sexuals in natural populations of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta

ABSTRACT. To determine whether the production of sexuals in the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, is related to queen number in the field, the numbers of sexuals in monogyne (M) and polygyne (P) colonies of this species were compared. Large colonies ( n =25 M and 25 P) were collected at random during spring, summer and fall when sexuals are actively produced, and the numbers of sexuals present were counted. The numbers of alates plus sexual pupae and larvae in M colonies far exceeded those in P colonies in each season. Significant differences between M and P colonies were also found when the numbers of alates and sexual immatures (pupae + larvae) were compared separately in each season. In addition, M colonies contained significantly more female sexuals (alates + pupae) than did P colonies in the summer and fall, and significantly more males in all three seasons. The negative relationship between queen number and number of sexuals provides evidence that queen control over the production of sexuals, previously established in laboratory experiments, also occurs under natural conditions.     

Foraging behavior and recruitment of red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren in typical habitats of South China

The foraging behavior consisted of three steps: searching, recruitment and transportation. Searching time was different for different foods; searching time for honey was longer than that for any other food tested. It was also affected by habitats with the searching time of fire ants in a litchi orchard being significantly longer than that for other habitats (p<0.01). However, the weight of the food had no obvious effect on the searching time. The recruitment of fire ant workers during foraging was regular, and there was a strong relationship between the number of recruited workers and the transportation time. When the food was too heavy to transport immediately into the nest, the number of recruited workers was maximum at 30 min after the food was initially found. For smaller sized food sources maximum recruitment of workers was possible at a shorter time and the food was more rapidly transported back to the nest. For different foods, the dynamics of recruitment were similar although the number of recruits was different. The weight of the food and the habitats also deeply affected the time spent on transportation.     

Reproductive development and ontogeny of queen pheromone production in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

Queens of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, produce several releaser and primer pheromones. Using bioassays, the ontogeny of three of these pheromones related to reproductive development was investigated. Virgin queens, in which the process of wing-shedding (dealation) serves as an indicator of the initiation of reproductive development, were studied. First, the production of two queen pheromones produced in the poison gland was examined. The pheromone responsible for initiation and maintenance of retinue formation, a releaser effect, was found to be produced in detectable quantities 2 days after dealation, at which time queens showed significant ovary development and many (30%) had started laying eggs. A primer pheromone that inhibits alate virgin queens from dealating was detected in queens 3 days following wing-shedding, when 80% of the queens were ovipositing. Second, I examined the onset of a pheromone of unknown glandular origin produced by reproductively active virgin queens which leads to their destruction in queenright colonies by stimulating workers to attack and kill them. This pheromone is secreted in quantities detectable by bioassay 2 days after dealation. Thus, in S. invicta, the ontogeny of three distinct queen pheromones is tightly linked with ovary development and initiation of egg laying. These results demonstrate reproductive and communicative functions are closely associated during the transition from potential to functional queen.     

Successful establishment of the invasive fire ant Solenopsis invicta in Taiwan: insights into interactions of alternate social forms

Aim Understanding the factors underlying the successful establishment of invasive ant species is critical for developing quarantine strategies to prevent additional invasions as well as for determining how such species overcome the selective pressures in invaded areas. Although several studies have revealed differences in the social organization and population genetics of invasive ants in their native and introduced ranges, few studies have considered the potential interactions between alternate social forms within newly‐invaded areas simply because many invasive ants are characterized as polygyne or unicolonial. Location Taoyuan and Chiayi County, Taiwan. Methods Both social forms (polygyne and monogyne) of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, occur in two separately invaded areas in Taiwan (Taoyuan and Chiayi). We employed intensive sampling methods and diagnostic polymerase chain reaction assays to determine the distribution of these two social forms in both infested areas in Taiwan. Results The distribution of social forms differs dramatically between the two infested areas, consistent with different invasion histories regarding the original make‐up of individuals comprising the initial founder group. The Taoyuan population likely was colonized initially by ants of both social forms, with the subsequent spread characterized by continuous outward movement of the two forms, particularly the monogyne form. In contrast, the initial founders of the Chiayi population likely were of the polygyne social form only, suggesting the monogyne social form in this population appeared only recently and likely arose directly from polygyne queens converting to the alternate social form. Main conclusions Our results provide detailed insights into the invasion history of S. invicta in Taiwan and suggest that the distinct reproductive biology of the two social forms may have shaped the current distribution of S. invicta in these infested areas and that the dynamics of two forms may affect the long‐term persistence and potential for spread of this pest ant species.     

Trophallaxis by temporal subcastes in the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, in response to honey

ABSTRACT. Trophallactic behaviour of temporal subcastes in Solenopsis invicta Buren colonies was studied in two separate experiments. First, radiolabeled honey was presented to small colonies containing larvae, queens and marked workers; radioactivity in the head, thorax and abdomen of each ant was measured after 0.25, 1, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. The quantity of honey per subcaste was dependent on the total amount of honey collected. As more honey entered the colony, the quantity in foragers, queens and reserves increased more rapidly than that in nurses or larvae. The internal distribution of radioactivity in the head, thorax or abdomen indicated that differences between subcaste members in either the rate of food exchange or digestion existed. In a second experiment behavioural observations were made on marked workers in colonies before and after the presentation of honey. Reserves spent significantly more time engaged in trophallaxis than either foragers or nurses, both as active donors and active receivers. Based on number of encounters, nurses were more likely to receive honey while reserves and foragers were more likely to donate honey. The duration of encounters involving nurses tended to be shorter than those involving reserves or foragers.     

Queen recruitment in a multiple-queen population of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

We assessed patterns of new queen recruitment in a polygyne(multiple queens per nest) population of the fire ant Solenopsisinvicta in its introduced range. Newly recruited queens wereidentified using four physiological markers, and genotypic datafrom nuclear and mitochondrial markers were used to estimaterelatedness of new nest mate queens to each other and to theolder nest mate queens. In total, 1.7% of the queens collectedin late spring and early summer were deemed to be new recruits.The relatedness of these queens to each other and to the olderqueens within nests was not significantly different from zero,suggesting that newly recruited queens represent a random sampleof potential reproductive queens in the population. Moreover,the number of new queens recruited within nests was not correlatedwith the number of older queens present and did not differ significantlyfrom a Poisson distribution. Thus, queen recruitment in this populationof S. invicta appears to occur at random with respect to thenumber of older queens present within nests.     

两种火蚁与黑头酸臭蚁上颚形态及其超微结构观察

应用扫描电镜和光学显微镜观察了红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren、热带火蚁Solenopsis geminata Fabricius和黑头酸臭蚁Tapinoma melanocephalum Fabricius的上颚类型及形态特征。头宽和上颚长度测量结果表明:两种火蚁的头宽和上颚大小具有连续性特征,黑头酸臭蚁工蚁仅1个类型,3种蚂蚁中黑头酸臭蚁的上颚最小,其前端具4个锋利切齿叶,后部有一排小而钝的臼齿叶,上颚内缘较光滑。在形态上,红火蚁的大、中、小型工蚁与热带火蚁工蚁的上颚区别不大,表面纹理光滑,都具4个锋利小齿,上颚内缘也比较光滑;热带火蚁兵蚁上颚仅3个小齿且较钝,其上颚内缘凹面比两种火蚁工蚁的深且纹理粗糙,推测红火蚁工蚁不仅用于筑巢,还用于防御,而热带火蚁兵蚁的强壮上颚可能主要用于磨碎食物,而非保卫蚁巢。     

Behaviour of worker subcastes in the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, in response to proteinaceous food

ABSTRACT. The effects of division of labour on response behaviour to food in the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, were examined to determine if caste members differ in amount of food taken, in rate of food transfer, or in internal distribution of food; and to see if food availability, time, or temporal subcaste pairing affect feeding behaviour. To measure differences in behaviour we fed radioiodinated albumin mixed with egg yolk to colonies containing larvae, queens, and (a) foragers and nurses, or (b) foragers and reserves, or (c) nurses and reserves. Samples were taken over a 72-h period and radioactivity in the head, thorax and abdomen of each worker was determined. There were significant differences between nurses, foragers and reserves in quantity of food consumed, rate of transfer, and internal distribution of radioactivity. These differences were related to their respective roles of foraging, food storage and transfer, and brood tending. The quantity of food taken per subcaste was dependent on the total amount of food in the colony, with transfer rates differing between subcastes as the quantity of food in the colony increased. The rate at which protein was transferred between subcastes was slower in the reserves than that in either foragers or nurses. Therefore, reserves may serve as a temporary store of protein for the colony.     

带土园艺植物传播红火蚁的风险调查

调查了广东广州、深圳40余个苗木花卉场74种带土园艺植物上红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren发生情况。调查结果表明,桉树苗、海枣、垂叶榕、黄金香柳、小叶榕、狗尾草、罗汉松等17种植物上红火蚁发生比率超过1%,是高风险带土植物。不同生产环境、不同栽培方式中盆/钵/袋栽红火蚁发生高于地面栽培方式,露天置于砂土、泥土、碎石上红火蚁发生风险较高,置于水泥地上的风险较低。提出了降低带土园艺植物传播红火蚁的管理措施。     

Traits allowing some ant species to nest syntopically with the fire ant Solenopsis saevissima in its native range

Supercolonies of the red fire ant Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) develop in disturbed environments and likely alter the ant community in the native range of the species. For example, in French Guiana only 8 ant species were repeatedly noted as nesting in close vicinity to its mounds. Here, we verified if a shared set of biological, ecological, and behavioral traits might explain how these 8 species are able to nest in the presence of S. saevissima. We did not find this to be the case. We did find, however, that all of them are able to live in disturbed habitats. It is likely that over the course of evolution each of these species acquired the capacity to live syntopically with S. saevissima through its own set of traits, where colony size (4 species develop large colonies), cuticular compounds which do not trigger aggressiveness (6 species) and submissive behaviors (4 species) complement each other.     

华南地区典型生境中红火蚁觅食行为及工蚁召集规律

观察研究了华南地区几种典型生境中红火蚁对不同类型食物的觅食行为和工蚁召集动态规律。研究结果表明红火蚁觅食行为存在搜寻、召集及搬运等主要过程。不同生境中红火蚁对食物的搜寻时间存在一定差异,荔枝园中搜寻时间明显长于其它生境;荔枝园、荒地、路边生境中红火蚁对蜂蜜的搜寻时间明显长于其它几种食物;同一生境中红火蚁对不同重量的同种食物搜寻时间无明显变化。发现食物后召集的工蚁数量随着时间延长呈现不断增加的趋势,对于较大的食物一般30min左右召集的工蚁数量达到最大,之后趋于稳定并逐渐减少,而对于可以直接搬动的食物发现后15min左右群体召集数量达到最大并很快将其搬走。召集工蚁数量与发现后时间的关系符合二次非线性方程,建立了火腿肠、花生油和蜂蜜等食物上红火蚁工蚁召集数量与发现时间的关系模型,分别为Na=4183.91e^-0.0327T-4231.48e^-0.0346T,Na=3253.78e^-0.0233T-3314.59e^-0.0271T,Na=117.97e^-0.0131T-163.93e^-0.0808T。对于不同食物红火蚁发现后召集的最大工蚁数量间有明显差异,其中花生油上最大,平均为176．3头,火腿肠上次之,为90．4头,蜂蜜上最少,为68．0头。对于不同重量的同种食物,工蚁的召集动态规律较为一致,发现食物后25-30min左右工蚁的召集数量均达到最大值,之后缓慢减少,发现食物后时间长度和食物上工蚁数量也符合房室模型函数Na=c1×exp（-c2T）-c3×exp（-c4T）。同种食物不同重量之间同一时间召集的工蚁数量存在较大差异,呈随食物重量增大而增大趋势。不同生境中对相同质量同种食物工蚁召集数量动态总体变化规律相近,但在发现食物后工蚁数量增长的速度和最大召集工蚁的数量存在明显差异,以路边工蚁数量增长最快、工蚁总数最多,苗圃次之,荔枝园、荒地中工蚁增长速度均较低。红火蚁对不同食物种类切割、搬运耗时存在很大差异,搬运完0．5g的火腿肠需要26．23h,而黄粉虫幼虫（重量约为0．1g）仅为15．6min。不同生境中红火蚁对相同重量同一种食物的搬运耗时也不同,荔枝园要长于其它生境。     

红火蚁对新入侵龙眼园和荒草地蚂蚁类群多样性的影响

于2007年7月至2008年2月期间在增城龙眼园及周边的荒草地人工移殖1蚁巢及10蚁巢红火蚁,并采用陷阱法和诱饵诱集法调查研究红火蚁对新入侵龙眼园区和荒草地区蚂蚁类群多样性的影响。结果表明,在荫蔽、少干扰的龙眼园和杂草茂密、少干扰的未割草区,红火蚁难以成功定殖,对这两种生境蚂蚁类群的多样性几乎没有影响;在红火蚁成功定殖的1蚁巢割草区和10蚁巢割草区,红火蚁以这两种密度入侵对蚂蚁类群多样性的影响程度不同。在1蚁巢割草区,红火蚁入侵后5个月期间,由于其数量占蚂蚁个体总数的比例很少,对蚂蚁类群多样性的影响很小;在红火蚁成功定殖5个月后,第6—7个月其工蚁所占比例增加,蚂蚁类群个体数和优势度下降,多样性和均匀度增加;第8—9个月其工蚁所占比例继续增加,而蚂蚁个体数、多样性和均匀度下降,优势度增加。在10蚁巢割草区,红火蚁入侵后,蚂蚁类群个体数、多样性和均匀度下降,优势度增加。红火蚁入侵对1蚁巢割草区和10蚁巢割草区蚂蚁物种数的影响较小。     

基于微卫星的中国红火蚁种群遗传结构的研究

[背景]自入侵中国之后,红火蚁已给农林业、健康卫生、生态环境等造成了危害。红火蚁在中国的入侵、扩散路径及方式等仍然是待解决的问题。[方法]利用微卫星分子标记,对来自国内14个地区和国外1个地区共15个红火蚁地理种群的遗传多样性水平及种群遗传结构进行了研究。[结果]应用7对微卫星引物共检测到28个等位基因,15个红火蚁种群在各微卫星位点的基因型频率均符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡。各种群的平均表观杂合度HO、预期杂合度HE、Shannon信息指数Ⅰ、基因多样性指数Nei＇s和多态位点百分率P分别为0.2848、0.2708、0.3174、0.2629和43.63%,研究结果表明这15个红火蚁种群具有比较丰富的遗传多样性。种群间平均分化系数FST为0.4258,说明有42.58%的变异来源于种群间,表明红火蚁各种群之间有较高程度的分化,且遗传分化可能是由地理隔离和基因流障碍（Nem=0.7442）共同引起。遗传距离D显示,河源种群与其他种群间的遗传距离均相对高于其他各种群间的遗传距离,表明河源种群与其他地理种群之间存在较大的遗传差异,可能是较为原始的类型。[结论与意义]短距离的种群主要通过自然扩散方式传播,地理距离与亲缘关系有一定的相关性;长距离的种群主要依靠人为传播,因此地理距离与遗传距离不成正比。对于长距离的入侵事件,监控与检疫是关键的预防措施。