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Brachymyrmex Patagonicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), an Emerging Pest Species in the Southeastern United States

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Brachymyrmex Patagonicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), an Emerging Pest Species in the Southeastern United States MacGown et al.: Brachymyrmex patagonicus, an Emerging Pest 457 BRACHYMYRMEX PATAGONICUS (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE), AN EMERGING PEST SPECIES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES JOE A. MACGOWN1, JOVONN G. HILL1 AND MARK A. DEYRUP2 1Mississippi Entomological Museum, Mississippi State University, Box 9775, MS 39762-9775 2Archbold Biological Station, P.O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862 ABSTRACT Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr is a recently introduced species that is well established in the Gulf Coast region of the United States. This species is abundant in Georgia, Florida, Al- abama, Mississippi, and Louisiana and has spread into other states. It has become a nui- sance pest with occasional large infestations occurring in homes, hospitals, and other businesses. Brief descriptions and illustrations of all castes, biological and economic impor- tance, and known distribution in the United States are given. Key Words: exotic insects, ants, distribution, dark rover ant RESUMEN Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr es una especie introducida recientemente que esta bien establecida en la región de la Costa del Golfo de los Estados Unidos. Esta especie es abun- dante en los estados de Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi y Louisiana y se ha esparcido a otros estados. Esta hormiga ha convertido en una plaga fastidiosa con infestaciones oca- sionales grandes en hogares, hospitales y otros negocios. Se provee una descripción breve con ilustraciones de todas las castas, su importancia biológica y económica, y la distribución conocida en los Estados Unidos. Members of the genus Brachymyrmex Mayr Brachymyrmex patagonicus is native to Argen- (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) are tina (Quirán et al. 2004). This species was first re- small, soft-bodied ants that are only 2.5 mm or ported from the United States as Brachymyrmex less in length (workers of most species are musculus Forel from St. Tammany Parish, Louisi- smaller), range in color from pale yellow to black- ana in 1978 from a single colony collected in 1976 ish-brown, and possess distinctive nine-seg- from sawdust beneath a recently cut live oak tree mented antennae. Most species nest in soil or in (Wheeler & Wheeler 1978). Wheeler & Wheeler rotting wood, although a few are arboreal. The ge- (1978) note that they identified the species by us- nus includes 38 species worldwide, with most oc- ing Santschi’s key to species (1923). They specu- curring in the Neotropical region (Bolton 1995). lated that it could have been introduced into the However, due to their minute size, there are likely United States through nearby New Orleans, many more undescribed species. Currently, at which is a reasonable entry point for tropical spe- least eight distinct species, four of which appear cies, although other localities, such as Mobile, Al- to be undescribed (from the southeastern United abama, or Pensacola, Florida, are just as likely. In States), are known to occur in the United States. his unpublished dissertation Naves (1976) also This genus needs revision because most species reported the presence of this species, which he re- descriptions are brief, and type specimens of ferred to as B. patagonicus from the Southeast. In many species are lost or are poorly preserved, his monograph of Pheidole of Florida, Naves some being shriveled. Although the genus was re- (1985) again mentioned B. patagonicus as occur- vised by Santschi (1923), the morphological char- ring in the southeastern United States. Although acters he used to define species were ill-defined Naves (1985), whose research was conducted in and, in many cases, were useless for differentiat- Florida, implied that this species occurred in ing species. For these reasons, species epithets Florida, subsequent faunal lists of ants for the and identifications in the genus are suspect (Dey- state failed to mention B. patagonicus (Deyrup rup 2003). Compounding this problem, there are 2003; Deyrup et al. 1989; Deyrup et al. 2000). In several known undescribed species, and undoubt- 2000 this species, then referred to as B. musculus, edly more to be discovered. However, revisions of was reported from Florida (Deyrup et al. 2000). the genus (Quirán 2005; Quirán et al. 2004) have The name B. patagonicus again reappeared in the resulted in six species being redescribed, includ- literature from collections in Louisiana when ing the type species, B. patagonicus Mayr, for Hooper-Bùi et al. (2000) mentioned it as an un- which the original types are lost. welcome house pest. A subsequent thesis on ants 458 Florida Entomologist 90(3) September 2007 of Louisiana (Dash 2005) did not mention B. pat- lengths (measured from the anterior edge of the agonicus, but referred to B. obscurior Forel and pronotum to the posterior edge of the metapleural B. musculus, occurring in 3 parishes. gland) are given in lieu of overall lengths. Head The first goal was to determine whether the width was measured in full frontal view at the southeastern species named B. musculus and widest point on the head including the eyes, and B. patagonicus were actually 1 species. Specimens head length was measured in full frontal view identified as B. musculus and B. patagonicus, and from the anterior edge of the clypeus to the poste- on which the Louisiana records are based, were rior border of head. Eye length refers to the long- borrowed from the Louisiana State University Ar- est measurement of the compound eye. Measure- thropod Collection (LSUC) and were compared ments were made with a micrometer mounted in with specimens identified as B. musculus from a 10× eyepiece on a Leica MZ16 stereomicroscope Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisi- at 50× (for females) and 100× (for males and work- ana, and Texas. All of these specimens appeared to ers). Drawings were made with a drawing tube be the same species. Additionally, specimens from mounted on a Leica MZ16 stereomicroscope. LSUC identified as B. obscurior also appeared to be this species, not B. obscurior. The next goal was RESULTS to assign the proper name to this species. The orig- inal descriptions of both B. musculus as a race of Diagnosis of the Worker (Figs. 1 and 4) B. tristis Mayr by Forel (1899) and B. patagonicus by Mayr (1868) are brief, and of little use for iden- Size minute, mesosomal length 0.43-0.51 mm tification. However, the redescription of B. patag- (n = 10). Head and mesosoma medium brown to onicus (Quirán et al. 2004), which includes all blackish-brown, gaster usually blackish-brown, castes, is much more detailed, and appears to often darker than head and mesosoma, tarsi and closely match our southeastern species. To verify mandibles pale, and antennae brownish-yellow. this tentative identification, representatives of all Head slightly longer than wide, covered with fine castes were sent to Estela Quirán, who identified pubescence, and with a few longer erect hairs; an- them as B. patagonicus, the name that we use in tennal scapes surpassing occipital border of head this publication. We suggest, therefore, that all by 1/5 their total length; eyes relatively large, references to B. musculus in North America be re- about as long as length of malar space and placed ferred to as B. patagonicus. This has no bearing on at approximately the middle third of side of head; the taxonomic status of B. musculus, originally de- 3 tiny, barely visible ocelli present. Promesono- scribed from Costa Rica (Bolton 1995). tum with 3-9 (usually 4-6) stout, erect hairs Although B. patagonicus recently was re- present dorsally, with fine pubescence that does described from Argentinian specimens (Quirán et not obscure the shiny sheen of integument. al. 2004), a few errors in the publication concern- Gaster with scattered, long, erect hairs, especially ing measurements give an impression that the along the edges of the tergites, and with sparse, overall lengths of workers and queens are less decumbent hairs, separated by about 1/3 to 2/3 than they actually are. Additionally, the castes their length. have not been illustrated except for the heads of the male and worker, mesosoma of worker, and Diagnosis of Female (Figs. 3 and 6) some male genitalic structures. Therefore, a brief diagnosis and illustration of each caste is given Mesosomal length 1.24-1.42 mm (n = 10). Con- here to aid in identifying this species in the colorous light brown. Head wider than long, with United States. A common name of “dark rover abundant, fine pubescence, and with long erect ant” is proposed for the species. hairs present; large compound eyes located at middle of side of head; 3 large ocelli present; fron- MATERIALS AND METHODS tal lobes well developed; scapes surpassing occip- ital border by 1/4 their length. Mesosoma with Ants for this study were collected as part of moderately dense, fine pubescence, and 30-40 larger surveys of Formicidae in Florida (Deyrup long erect hairs (about 3-4 times length of fine pu- 2003), Alabama (MacGown & Forster 2005), and bescence); anepisternum and katepisternum sep- Mississippi (MacGown et al. 2005; MacGown & arated by a distinct suture, with erect hairs Brown 2006), with additional collecting trips present. Forewing with pterostigma; hind wing made to southern Georgia, Arkansas, Louisiana, with 7 hammuli. Gaster with moderately dense, and Texas. Specimens were collected in 90% etha- fine pubescence, and erect hairs along apical nol, and representatives were pinned and labeled. edges of sternites and tergites. Vouchers are deposited in the Archbold Biological Station Collection (ABSC) and the Mississippi Diagnosis of Male (Figs. 2 and 5) Entomological Museum (MEM). The gaster of B. patagonicus is soft and often Mesosomal length 0.8 mm (n = 2). Head dark shrivels when pinned. Consequently, mesosomal brown to blackish-brown, rest of body, including MacGown et al.: Brachymyrmex patagonicus, an Emerging Pest 459 Figs. 1-3. Profile views of Brachymyrmex patagonicus: (1) worker, (2) alate male, and (3) dealate female.
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