One of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species Wasmannia auropunctata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Detected in Cyprus
Jakovos Demetriou,
Christos Georgiadis,
Helen Roy,
Angeliki Martinou,
Lech Borowiec,
Sebastian Salata
Affiliations
Jakovos Demetriou
Joint Services Health Unit Cyprus & Enalia Physis Environmental Research Centre, Cyprus
Christos Georgiadis
Section of Zoology and Marine Biology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
Helen Roy
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Angeliki Martinou
Joint Services Health Unit Cyprus; Enalia Physis Environmental Research Centre & Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre/ Care-C, The Cyprus Institute, Cyprus
Lech Borowiec
University of Wrocław, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy, Myrmecological Laboratory, Poland
Sebastian Salata
University of Wrocław, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy, Myrmecological Laboratory, Przybyszewskiego 65, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland
Native to the Neotropics, Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger, 1863) has been unintentionally introduced around the world, heavily impacting native ant biodiversity, societies, and economies as well as human and animal health due to its potentially dangerous stings. Herein we report on the first record of W. auropunctata in Cyprus. Specimens were collected from plant nurseries and tourist facilities in Paphos and Limassol district. Wasmannia auropunctata is believed to spread via the horticultural pathway to locations with sufficient humidity. Further research is necessary to determine the distribution and assess possible negative impacts of W. auropunctata to native biodiversity, society, the economy and human health in Cyprus.
