New records of the exotic black little ant Monomorium carbonarium in the Iberian Peninsula and discovery of the ergatoid queen (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Abstract

The exotic ant Monomorium carbonarium (Smith, 1858) is recorded for two new cities in the Iberian Peninsula. A hundred workers of this black little ant were recovered from a pitfall trap in a small urban park in the city of Alacant (SE Iberia). A visual inspection revealed a large colony with numerous nest entrances, but confined in space. Its absence in other colliding parks and green areas of the city sug- gests an early stage of invasion. It is also first detected in three parks in the city of Barcelona (NE Iberia). Two queen phenotypes are imaged, winged and ergatoid, the second one previously unknown. The invasive potential of the species is discussed.