Publication
Title
First record of the ant Pheidole megatron Fischer and Fisher, 2013 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Rwanda
Author
Abstract
We present the first record of the ant Pheidole megatron Fischer and Fisher, 2013 in Rwanda, a species thought to be endemic to the Malagasy region. Specimens were collected in July 2019, in one of the houses located at Kivumu, in the center of Rwanda. They were first morphologically identified as Pheidole megatron using a recent identification key. Molecular identification through mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) confirmed the morphological identification. The Rwanda sample clustered with samples from the Comoros, and it belongs to the group megacephala. Future studies may focus on the biology and ecology of this ant species in Africa. Moreover, we suggest the screening of other African populations of Pheidole megacephala using finer genetic markers with higher mutation rates to clarify the identification and spread of the species.
Language
English
Source (journal)
African zoology. - Pretoria
Publication
Pretoria : 2021
ISSN
1562-7020
DOI
10.1080/15627020.2021.1901605
Volume/pages
56 :2 (2021) , p. 157-161
ISI
000643891200001
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 07.05.2021
Last edited 30.10.2024
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