Líffræðifélag Íslands - biologia.is
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2025
Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster E82
Höfundar / Authors: Marco Mancini (1), Andreas Guðmundsson Gähwiller (2), Arnar Pálsson (3)
Starfsvettvangur / Affiliations: 1. University of Iceland
Kynnir / Presenter: Marco Mancini
Cryptic ants such as Hypoponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are globally widespread, and despite their remarkable ability to thrive in diverse and human-dominated environments, remain poorly studied. In Iceland, the first documented record of Húsamaur (Hypoponera punctatissima/ergatandria) was reported from Reykjavík in 1974 and, since then, >550 records have been documented, mainly in the Capital Area. Urban development, global warming, and human-mediated transportation most likely contribute to its expansion. Moreover, the nesting habits and behavior of this ant species make colonies extremely difficult to exterminate, highlighting the possibility of unstoppable spread. We hypothesized that a supercolony exists underground in the Capital Area and may spread through the hot piping system. We are currently investigating four approaches to evaluate this hypothesis: i) DNA analyses to test for genetic similarities among populations; ii) Behavioral tests of intra-population interactions (friendly vs. aggressive); iii) Temporal analysis of queen swarming and correlations with temperature; and iv) Queen reproduction output. The study is still in its early phase, and although substantial data has been collected, analyses remain preliminary. Initial findings suggest unicoloniality, which may represent the northernmost case of an ant supercolony. Overall, this research contributes to understanding the spread of invasive ants in a subarctic urban environment.