First record of the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in Chinese mainland

Abstract

In January 2022, we received ant specimens collected from three field colonies from Shantou City, Guangdong Province, China. They were identified as the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, through morphological and molecular analyses. Wasmannia auropunctata is listed as one of the 100 most dangerous invasive species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and has spread from its native range in South America to every continent except Antarctica. DNA analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) in nine specimens of W. auropunctata found that they had a close genetic relationship with specimens from Argentina. This study represents the first formal record of the establishment of W. auropunctata outdoor in Chinese mainland. However, the invasion stage and occurrence degree of W. auropunctata in China are not clear to date. The implementation of quarantine measures, investigation of the occurrence and distribution, and development of monitoring and control strategies are needed to actively respond to the threat posed by this highly invasive ant.