Wasmannia auropunctata (insecte)

Écologie Distribution Gestion Impacts Références et liens Contacts

Click here to go back Détails de cette espèce dans Gabon Statut: Exotique Statut d'envahissement: Envahissant Occurrence: Signalé(e) Source: Wetterer, James K. Date d'introduction: Before 1914 Mode d'Introduction: Notes sur l'espèce pour cette localité: The little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata) is an invasive alien species found in Gabon in the following land cover type: Tropical Rainforest Notes sur la gestion de l'espèce dans cette localité: Notes sur la localité: Impacts: Autre: "Wetterer et al. (1999) found anecdotal evidence of an impact onvertebrates in Gabon. House cats (Felis catus) at Lopé often have W.auropunctata in their fur, and several cats developed corneal cloudingand blindness. William Karesh, field veterinarian for Wildlife Conserva-tion Society, found the cats' symptoms consistent with trauma, not communicable disease. More disturbingly, elephants (Loxodonta africana) with cloudy corneas arecommon in Lopé and Petit Loango, as well as Wonga Wongué Reserveon the central coast of Gabon (100 km south of Libreville). The possibleconnection between W. auropunctata and eye maladies deserves furtherstudy." Réduction de la biodiversité indigène: W. auropunctata has a negative impact on the native ant community in Gabon. Nine sites In Lope National Park were surveyed. A highly significant correlation between ant diversity and length of infestation by W. auropunctata was found. Many more native ant species were present in areas not infested with W. auropunctata (39.0 ± 4.6) compared with areas infested by W. auropunctata for approximately 5–10 yr (7.0 ± 6.2 and 1.7 ± 1.2, respectively). In infested areas, W. auropunctata made up the bulk of specimens collected in every plot (Walker, 2006). Dernière mise à jour: 2/05/2005 9:36:50 a.m.