Ant Fauna of Fig Orchards of the Estahban Area with the Report of Tapinoma Karavaievi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as a Predator of Fig Pollinator Wasps

Abstract

The fig fruit (Ficus carica L.), as an important agricultural product, is consumed fresh or dried worldwide. Fars and the Estahban county, with more than 95% of fig orchards, are the most important edible fig-producing areas in Iran. The interaction between figs and their mutualisms especially wasps is affected by ants. Considering the rich fauna of ants in Estahban fig orchards, as well as some reports indicating the direct and indirect damages by ants, the fauna of ants in fig gardens in the Estahban area was studied during 2018-2019. Eleven species in 8 genera and 3 subfamilies were recognised. Among the collected species, Cataglyphis livida, C. livida, Lepisiota dolabellae, M. caducus, M. ebeninus, P. koshewnikovi, Tapinoma karavaievi, and T. destructor have been reported for the first time from Fars province. Furthermore, this study revealed that Tapinoma karavaievi acts as a predator of the fig wasp causing possible damages to fig orchards. This is the first record of possible damage of this species to the fig in the world.

Keywords

• pest
• iran
• pollination