PACIFIC INVASIVE ANT IDENTIFICATION TRAINING: A POSTGRADUATE STUDENT PROSPECTIVE

By Roneil Latchman

Division of Biology, University of the South Pacific
Email: roneil_latchman@yahoo.com

Biological invasions threaten the integrity of the world’s biota (Pimm, 1991). Ants are among the most ecologically successful groups of animals and many species have become invasive and are now considered pests. The annual meeting of the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in 1998 recognized the formidable problem of ant invasions to the Pacific region. The objective of the meeting was to prevent RIFA (red imported fire ant) and other invasive ant species with economic, environmental and/or social impacts, entering and establishing in or spreading between (or within) countries of the Pacific Region (Pacific Ant Prevention Plan, 2004).

I am an MSc research student in the Division of Biology for the Faculty for Science and Technology and the topic of my research thesis is “Unicolonal Aggression Within and Among Local Populations of the Invasive Ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum in Viti Levu, Fiji”. Tapinoma melanocephalum is an invasive species, which is a significant urban pest capable of infesting residential kitchens and commercial food outlets in large numbers (Lee, 2002). T. melanocephalum appears to be a disturbance specialist and in many locations is absent from undisturbed natural habitat (Deyrup et al. 2000). The species is widely distributed all around Fiji, especially on the main island of Viti Levu (Ward, 2006). T. melanocephalum show an extraordinary social organization called unicoloniality, whereby individuals mix freely among physically separated nests. It has been suggested that this organization is a key attribute responsible for their ecological domination (Giraud et al. 2002).

University of the South Pacific staff and postgraduate students learn how to use the LUCID multi-media identification key for identifying potential invasive ants. This key is currently under development by ant taxonomist Eli Sarnat.

As a result of my postgraduate studies on invasive ants and my linkage to the regional taxonomic capacity building program BioNET-PACINET I was invited to join an Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) organized regional invasive ant identification training workshop recently held at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji. This workshop was attended by entomologists and quarantine officers from 14 different Pacific Island countries and territories and the expert instructors came from the United States of America and New Zealand.

The Pacific invasive ant identification training has contributed significantly towards my study on invasive ants. I believe that the three days of intensive training, surrounded by such experienced people, has also made me competent at using the LUCID software and the key for the Identification of Pacific Invasive Ants and other tools to a very great extent. By using morphological characters and distinctive features associated with different invasive ants, the LUCID Key software provides an easy and efficient step-by-step procedure for accurate identification. The training has also provided me with a sound understanding of invasive Ant Surveillance methodology, which has significantly improved my ability to easily collect ants using bait trapping and surveillance. During my sampling for T. melanocephalum, the techniques learnt during the workshop were a blessing in disguise. It not only demonstrated professional usage of collection techniques but also provided a systematic approach methodology which was always transparent.

Because most of the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) do not have specialist ant taxonomists, this training has been a very valuable learning experience. . To me personally as an up-and-coming invasive ant scientist it has boosted my confidence and self-esteem in that I can see the potential for me to become the best in the trade in the Pacific Islands and that this workshop has been a stepping-stone towards the initiation of me becoming an expert ant taxonomist in my region.

University of the South Pacific staff and postgraduate students (Roneil Latchman, John Fasi and Tom Dunn) learn from Wildlife Conservation Society's Cagi Tokota'a how to locate and position ant traps for effective invasive ant surveillance.

The workshop has also allowed the identification training of the very serious invasive ants RIFA (red imported fire ant) and LFA (little fire ant). While these species are not present in most of the Pacific Islands, the training has created the capability for identification of these invasive ants before they establish themselves in new areas, while at the same time enhancing faster emergency response capability and faster eradication if the need arises.

Finally, in my opinion the Pacific Invasive Ants Taxonomy Workshop has demonstrated a very positive approach to invasive ant identification in the Pacific Island region and has provided valuable easy to understand information that will have practical benefit in reducing the risk of further invasive ant incursions within Pacific Island countries and territories. Invasive species are threatening the integrity of our fragile ecosystems in the Pacific and I sincerely hope there are more workshops of this kind in the future.

References:
1. Deyrup, M., Davis, L., Cover, S. 2000. Exotic ants in Florida. Transactions of American Entomological Society. 126: 293- 326.
2. Giraud, T., Pedersen. S., Keller, L. 2002: Evolution of supercolonies: The Argentine ants of Southern Europe. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 99(9): 6075–6079.
3. Lee, C. Y. 2002. Tropical household ants; pest status, species diversity, foraging behavior and biting studies. In: Jones, S.C.; Zhai, J.; Robinson, W.H. eds Proceedings of the 4th international conference on Urban Pests. Virginia, Pocahontas Press. Pp. 3.18.
4. Pimm, S. L. 1991. The Balance of Nature? Ecological Issues in the Conservation of Species and Communities. Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago.
5. Pacific Ant Prevention Plan. Pacific Invasive Ant Group (PIAG). A proposal prepared for the Pacific Plant Protection Organisation and Regional Technical Meeting For Plant Protection. March 2004.