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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Imported Fire Ant and Household Insects Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #212890
Title: Population genetic structure of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, in Taiwan

Author
item YANG, CHIN-CHENG - NAT TAIWAN UNIV/DEPT ENT.
item Shoemaker, David
item WU, WEN-JER - NAT TAIWAN UNIV/DP ENTO.
item SHIH, CHENG-JEN - NAT TAIWAN UNIV/DP ENTO

Submitted to: Insectes Sociaux
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2007
Publication Date: 2/26/2008
Citation: Yang, C., Shoemaker, D.D., Wu, W., Shih, C. 2008. Population genetic structure of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, in Taiwan. Insectes Sociaux.55:54-65.

Interpretive Summary: The red imported fire ant is considered a significant ecological, agricultural, and public health pest throughout its invasive range in the U.S.A. A scientist at the Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, USDA, ARS, Gainesville, Florida and scientists from National Taiwan University describe here the results of a study examining the population and colony structure of fire ants in two recently established populations in Taiwan. Results from these analyses generally were consistent with predictions based on the known biology of these ants and similar studies of fire ants in the U.S.A. and South America, although some patterns may also reflect the recent introduction and human-mediated inadvertent transport of ants in Taiwan. This is the first study to investigate the population and colony structure of fire ants in Taiwan and results from our collaborative study represent an important contribution to the ongoing efforts aimed at eradicating this invasive pest in Taiwan.

Technical Abstract: We generated and analyzed microsatellite genotypic data and mtDNA sequence data from the fire ant Solenopsis invicta collected from two separate infested areas (Taoyuan and Chiayi) in Taiwan to infer the population and colony structure of these recently established populations. These genetic analyses revealed the following patterns: 1) relatedness among worker nestmates was significantly greater than zero for both social forms from both populations; 2) No significant isolation by distance was found among nests within each social form from either population; 3) Significant mtDNA but no nuclear differentiation occurs between sympatric social forms in Taoyuan; 4) Molecular signatures of genetic bottlenecks associated with recent introductions are evident in both populations; and 5) The two sampled populations, Taoyuan and Chiayi, are highly genetically differentiated at both the nuclear or mtDNA genomes and most likely derive from two separate introductions into Taiwan. While results from these analyses generally were consistent with predictions based on the known biology of these ants and similar studies of S. invicta in the U.S.A. and South America, some patterns likely reflect the recent introduction and human-mediated inadvertent transport of ants in Taiwan. This is the first study to investigate the population and colony structure of fire ants in Taiwan and results from our study represent an important contribution to the ongoing efforts aimed at eradicating this invasive pest in Taiwan.