Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Pharaoh's Trailing Ant (DEYRUP et al., 2000)

(ANTWEB: ICCDRS0013052). (Map 21)

A tramp ant with worldwide distribution (WETTERER, 2015). It was collected for the first time in Galápagos in 1905 on Santa Cruz and Pinta by WHEELER (1919). Monomorium pharaonis is distributed on four islands in dry and humid zones. Specimens have primarily been collected from disturbed areas; Baltra airport, agricultural areas of Isabela, Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island, as well as on aircrafts coming from mainland Ecuador. The only known case of M. pharaonis in natural areas is on Pinta Island, where specimens were collected in 1982 and 2006 in the littoral zone. Monomorium pharaonis is considered a moderately invasive species in Galápagos (CAUSTON et al., 2006).