Ant crickets (Orthoptera: Myrmecophilidae) associated with the invasive yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): evidence for cryptic species and potential co-introduction with hosts

Abstract

The yellow crazy ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes (Smith, 1857), is a widespread invasive ant in tropical and subtropical regions. In our study, we surveyed ant cricket species (Myrmecophilinae) associated with A. gracilipes in the Indo-Pacific region and provided a taxonomic revision using an integrative approach by combining morphological and molecular data. At least eight ant cricket species were found in A. gracilipes nests, which represents the greatest number of ant cricket species recorded for a single ant species. Some of these ant crickets were widespread across the Indo-Pacific and have an overlapping distribution with A. gracilipes. Haplotype networks showed incongruence between haplotype groupings and geographic distribution of ant cricket species, indicating co-introductions of ant cricket species with their ant hosts have occurred. A new taxonomic status of related Myrmecophilus species was given: 1) three new species were described (Myrmecophilus antilucanus sp.n., Myrmecophilus caliginosus sp.n., and Myrmecophilus ikaros sp.n.), and 2) three new synonyms and one resurrection was made (M. quadrispina Perkins, 1899 = M. formosanus Shiraki, 1930 syn.n., M. hebardi Mann, 1920 = M. leei Kistner & Chong, 2007 syn.n., M. dubius Saussure, 1877 = M. flavocinctus Wasmann, 1894 stat.n. & syn.n.; M. mayaealberti Hugel & Matyot, 2006 stat.rev.). In addition, traits that potentially promote A. gracilipes as a favorable host for ant crickets are discussed, along with potential ecological impacts associated with co-introduced ant crickets in their non-native range.