Linepithema humile

Escárraga, Mayron & Guerrero, Roberto J., 2016, The ant genus Linepithema (Formicidae: Dolichoderinae) in Colombia, Zootaxa 4208 (5), pp. 446-458 : 451-452

Linepithema humile

Distribution. Linepithema humile is known only from Armenia (Quindio).

Biology. The biology of this important species is summarized by Wild (2007).

Examined material. COLOMBIA. Quindío: Armenia ( WPMC).

Discussion. Linepithema humile was previously reported in Colombia (Sanabria & Chacón de Ulloa 2009; Wild 2004, 2007). However, we found that the specimens identified as L. humile in Sanabria & Chacón de Ulloa (2009) , and many other “ Linepithema humile ” specimens in Colombian entomological collections, were misidentified. In most cases these specimens were L. piliferum or L. neotropicum , and in no cases were L. humile .

In order to confirm the occurrence of L. humile in Colombia ( Wild 2007), we studied the L. humile specimens reported in Wild (2007) and deposited in WPMC. We confirm that the specimens are L. humile , and this remains the only known collection of the species in Colombia . These ants were collected in the Colombian coffee zone ( Armenia, Quindio) in 1973, but despite subsequent intensive sampling done in that area by the program Paisajes Rurales (Instituto Alexander von Humboldt), there are no more L. humile records from Armenia or elsewhere. Thus it is possible that this was an introduction that did not persist and the species no longer occurs in Colombia .