Estimation Of The Number Of Founders Of An Invasive Pest Insect Population: The Fire Ant Solenopsis Invicta In The United States

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 26 Jun 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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Determination of the number of founders of invasive populations is important for predicting and preventing further invasions and for making inferences about ecological and evolutionary processes.

The fire ant Solenopsis invicta is an invasive pest insect first introduced into the USA from South America in the mid-1930s.

We used data from genetic markers surveyed in the source and introduced populations to estimate founder number.

The data suggest that 9-20 unrelated mated queens comprised the initial propagule to colonize the USA at Mobile, Alabama, and that one or more secondary introductions of the ant into the USA may also have occurred.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Proceedings B is the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal, dedicated to the rapid publication and broad dissemination of high-quality research papers, reviews and comment and reply papers. The scope of journal is diverse and is especially strong in organismal biology

Royal Society B: Biological Sciences