The threat from alien invasive species is widely
perceived as one of the major contributions to
present-day high-extinction rates, affecting an estimated
30% of threatened birds, 15% of threatened
plants and 10% of threatened mammals (Hilton-
Taylor 2000). Invasive predatory ant species may
be particularly problematic (Williams 1994; Moller
1996; Tsutsui and Suarez 2003) as exemplified by
the spread of the ants Linepithema humile (Mayr),
Pheidole megacephala Fabricius, Solenopsis
wagneri Santschi (¼S. invicta) and Wasmannia auropunctata
(Roger) in the North America, the
Galapagos and Hawaii islands (Haskins and
Haskins 1965; Clark et al. 1982; McGlynn 1999)
and widespread invasions by the crazy ant
Anoplolepis gracilipes (F. Smith) (¼A. longipes).
This tropical tramp species has been widely introduced
and is now found throughout much of
Africa, Asia, America and Australia (Dorow
1996). This species has been recorded as excluding
other ant species (Greenslade 1971) and recently
has been implicated in a population crash in the
red crab Gecarcoidea natalis on Christmas Island
(O’ Dowd et al. 1999). It has been listed as one of
the 100 ‘worst invasive alien species’ (Lowe et al.
2001).
The threat from alien invasive species is widelyperceived as one of the major contributions topresent-day high-extinction rates, affecting an estimated30% of threatened birds, 15% of threatenedplants and 10% of threatened mammals (Hilton-Taylor 2000). Invasive predatory ant species maybe particularly problematic (Williams 1994; Moller1996; Tsutsui and Suarez 2003) as exemplified bythe spread of the ants Linepithema humile (Mayr),Pheidole megacephala Fabricius, Solenopsiswagneri Santschi (¼S. invicta) and Wasmannia auropunctata(Roger) in the North America, theGalapagos and Hawaii islands (Haskins andHaskins 1965; Clark et al. 1982; McGlynn 1999)and widespread invasions by the crazy antAnoplolepis gracilipes (F. Smith) (¼A. longipes).This tropical tramp species has been widely introducedand is now found throughout much ofAfrica, Asia, America and Australia (Dorow1996). This species has been recorded as excludingother ant species (Greenslade 1971) and recentlyhas been implicated in a population crash in thered crab Gecarcoidea natalis on Christmas Island(O’ Dowd et al. 1999). It has been listed as one ofthe 100 ‘worst invasive alien species’ (Lowe et al.2001).
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