Species Richness and Origin of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Urban and Suburban Areas of St. Andrew, Jamaica

Abstract The ant fauna in natural and rural areas of Jamaica has received substantial interest in the past. However, no recent works have focused primarily on the ants of urban and suburban areas. In this study, we assessed the species richness and origin of ants in urban and suburban areas of St. Andrew, Jamaica. Ant specimens were hand-collected within a 30 m radius area during a 15 minute search conducted at 27 sample sites during 39 sampling events. A total of 31 ant species were collected, representing a mixture of 18 native (58.1%) and 13 introduced (41.9%) species. Among the 18 species native to the Caribbean region, three (9.7%) are endemic to Jamaica, namely Camponotus hannani, Camponotus fugax, and Cephalotes jamaicensis. Sixteen tramp species (species with a worldwide distribution) represented 51.6% of the ant community, including Brachymyrmex patagonicus, Nylanderia steinheili, Paratrechina longicornis, Tapinoma melanocephalum, and Trichomyrmex destructor. Brachymyrmex patagonicus, Solenopsis geminata, and P. longicornis were most prevalent, being respectively found at 92.6%, 85.2%, and 81.5% of the sampled sites. Brachymyrmex obscurior, Camponotus fugax, Camponotus sexguttatus, Crematogaster steinheili, and Pheidole subarmata were among the least prevalent, each found at only one site. This publication presents the first published records of Solenopsis globularia and Monomorium pharaonis in Jamaica, with short descriptions of their habitats. The urban and suburban ant community of St. Andrew presents a relatively high species richness.