Wasmannia auropunctata (昆蟲)

生態 分佈 管理 影響 參考資料 聯繫

一般影響 環境的壓力(例如人類活動引起的壓力，例如單一栽培)可能引起一些螞蟻族群的爆炸，在螞蟻的原生地特別顯著。例如，在南美洲的它的原產地中，小火蟻是受干擾森林與農業區的一個害蟲，它能在那裡達成很高的密度。高密度的W. auropunctata已經證明分別與哥倫比亞的甘蔗單一栽培與與巴西的可可粉農業有關。在哥倫比亞，在森林片段中豐度高的小火蟻已被證明會造成螞蟻多樣性降低。小火蟻有效地利用資源，包括花蜜，庇護所內的植被和甘露殘留(同翅目昆蟲)，它可能會競爭、取代原生螞蟻(Armbrecht 與 Ulloa-Chacon 2003). 改善土地管理和減少初級生產將舒緩侵入螞蟻的相關問題，也會減少螞蟻族群爆炸產生的環境壓力。 在農業地區，由於工人和土地密切接觸，小火蟻可能會帶給人類嚴重的困擾。這是因為它更有可能在農業地區達到高密度，並且叮咬在田野工作的人。同翅目昆蟲數量增加，會吸食植物養分，使植物容易感染疾病，造成重大的產量損失。在喀麥隆，相反的，小火蟻的傳佈是被鼓勵的，因為它會吃害蟲，從而可以對某些草食可可害蟲發揮控制作用。 W. auropunctata可能帶給無脊椎動物與脊椎動物負面的衝擊。他們可能捕食本土昆蟲，引起小脊椎動物的數量減少。在人類的居住環境中，它可能刺傷甚至刺盲家庭寵物(貓與狗)(Romanski 2001). 一般認為，它已經造成新喀裡多尼亞和加拉帕戈斯群島的爬行動物族群減少，它吃那裡剛孵化的幼龜和攻擊成龜的眼睛與泄殖腔。 小火蟻可能是加拉巴哥島群島的引入種中，最具侵略性的物種，在受這種火蟻侵擾的地區內，蠍子、蜘蛛和本地其他種的螞蟻數量皆有明顯減少的現象。同樣有人指出，它會減少所羅門群島當地節肢動物的生物多樣性(Romanski 2001)。 W. auropunctata很少埋藏蟻媒傳播性種子而且有時只吃種子的油而不幫忙傳播種子。 在它的原產地中，小火蟻減少食草的節肢動物的生物多樣性，增加果實與種子產量，增進植物的生長而且減少病原體攻擊。 W. auropunctata也可能排除與植物互利共生的節肢動物，例如植物醫生或者種子傳播者(Ness and Bronstein 2004)。 請參閱侵入的螞蟻為一個侵入螞蟻的一般衝擊的摘要影響 , 例如他們的在互利共生關係身上影響, 競爭的壓力他們趁機利用與結果他們可能有在脆弱的生態系統上。          地點特有的影響： Queensland (Australia)   滋擾人類: Several residents in the infested area were stung by ants whilst swimming in their swimming pools. Dogs and cats have been stung by the ants. People working in their gardens have also been stung by the ants. Brazil   競爭: High populations of W. auropunctata have been related to marked reductions of other ant species in agricultural lands such as cocoa farms in Brazil (Delabie 1988, Majer et al 1994, in Armbrecht and Ulloa-Chacón 2003). Cauca River Valley (Colombia)   競爭: W. auropunctata is widely distributed throughout South America and is able to displace the local myrmecofauna. The positive relation between W. auropunctata abundance and ant-plant associations in understory vegetation reinforces the belief that W. auropunctata is highly able to exploit and monopolise resources such as extrafloral nectar, refuges within vegetation, and honeydew residues from Homopteran insects, and prevent other ant species from utilising these resources successfully (Armbrecht and Ulloa-Chacón 2003). 經濟 /民生: Colonises disturbed and agricultural areas, sometimes becoming an economic problem (Fowler et al. 1990, in Armbrecht and Ulloa-Chacón 2003). Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)   與其他入侵物種相互作用: "Wasmannia auropunctata is often associated with another serious pest: the cottonycushion scale- Icerya purchasi, and has been observed transportingimmature stages and tending colonies" (Wetterer & Porter, 2003). 降低本地生物多樣性: The little fire ant is probably the most aggressive species that has been introduced into the Galapagos Archipelago. Marked reductions in scorpions, spiders, and native ant populations in areas infested with the little fire ant have been observed. Many other arthropods are probably also affected, but this has not been measured (Roque-Albelo and Causton 1999). French Polynesia   滋擾人類: Images and text by Eric Loeve available at Fenua Animalia document the enormous impact of this invasive ant on people's lives. This is a sign of things to come as the Wasmannia auropunctata infestations become more and more established and as the scale and numbers build. 降低本地生物多樣性: A progressive blindness syndrome known as as “Florida spots”, “Florida keratitis/keratopathy” or “tropical keratopathy” (Roze et al, 2004; Moore, 2005) has been documented in mammals and other animals that live in the proximity of colonies of the little fire ant. No scienific study had been conducted to prove that the little fire ants were responsible for this. Scientists from Fenua animalia conducting mapping of a little fire ant colony in the Mahina commune’s highs (Tahiti), discovered that ant colony areas were also sheltering endemic hearths of "Florida keratopathy". 24 cases of keratopathy and 12 control cases were studied within the mega-colony settled. Results of an analysis showed that the affected animals were those living in contact with the ants. Apart from this predisposing factor, the scientists did not find any other characteristic facilitating this outbreak (age, sex, viral status regarding Feline leukosis). The study highlights the symptoms of acute attack such as blepharospasm and whimpering; and the topography of injuries shows that the median area of the eye is the most affected. Though the pathopysiologic model is not already understood, the authors of the study, believe as many authors previously cited that the most probable etiologic agent of this pathology is the littel fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata (Dr. Leonard Theron Assistant - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Liege- Production Animals Clinical Department pers.comm., September 2009). Gabon   其他: "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." 降低本地生物多樣性: 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). New Caledonia (Nouvelle Calédonie)   滋擾人類: Causes painful stings. 降低本地生物多樣性: W. auropunctata have a negative impact on endemic ants, native arachnids, beetles, and reptiles (Wetterer & Porter, 2003 and references therein). Wewak (Papua New Guinea)   滋擾人類: The ants over-run gardens and homes in residents' houses and sting people, especially children. Control of insect pests within houses is expensive and many families may be forced to live with the ant. Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands)   其他: Locals on Guadalcanal have reported that their dogs (Canis domesticus) were all gradually blinded by the ants' venom andrarely lived more than five years (Wetterer 1997 in Wetterer & Porter, 2003). 滋擾人類: Causes painful stings. Hawaii (United States (USA))   滋擾人類: Cause painful stings. 經濟 /民生: Many important economic crops in Hawaii are harvested by hand. W. auropunctata is small, cryptic, and has a painful sting. In some cases, agricultural workers refuse to harvest from infested trees or orchards, which is a critical issue for farms that rely on hand harvesting. W. auropunctata is also of quarantine concern, because the presence of ants on exported fruits and vegetables from Hawaii can cause rejection and return shipment to Hawaii (Costa et al., 2005; Follett & Taniguchi 2007 in Souza et al., 2006) Vanuatu   滋擾人類: It stings people and animals including chickens and can cause allergic reactions in people 經濟 /民生: It deters people from tending their crops, reducing productivity and imposing economic hardship on them. Vanua Lava Is. (Vanuatu)   降低本地生物多樣性: A striking lack of butterflies has been noted on the island of Vanua Lava. This is compared to Mota Lava, which is free of W. Auropunctata and has abundant butterflies (J. Tennant, pers. comm. in Wetterer & Porter, 2003).