Troya, A., Bersosa, F., Espinoza, L. 2016. Insectos de los remanentes de bosques secos andinos del norte de Ecuador. Ecosistemas 25(2): 79-82. Doi.: 10.7818/ECOS.2016.25-2.10 Las investigaciones biológicas en los bosques secos de Ecuador se centran en aspectos botánicos y ecológicos, mientras que el conocimiento de la entomofauna es casi nulo. Utilizando trampas Malaise, de caída, y golpeteo, se realizaron muestreos en cuatro localidades de bosque seco Andino con el objetivo de identificar la composición de la fauna de insectos terrestres a nivel de familia. Se registraron 14 órdenes y 117 familias, entre las cuales las hormigas (Formicidae) representaron el mayor porcentaje de la abundancia total. Se hace referencia a un posible registro de la hormiga Pheidole megacephala, una de las especies invasoras más importantes de mundo. Aunque en forma preliminar, este trabajo constituye el primer aporte al conocimiento de la entomofauna en el ecosistema probablemente más amenazado de este territorio. Insects of the North Andean dry forest remnants in Ecuador Troya, A., Bersosa, F., Espinoza, L. 2016. Insects of the andean dry forest remnants in Ecuador. Ecosistemas 25(2): 79-82. Doi.: 10.7818/ECOS.2016.25-2.10 Biological research in Ecuadorian dry forests is mainly focused on botanical and ecological issues, whereas knowledge on its entomofauna is very scarce. We sampled terrestrial insects in four northern Andean dry forest localities with the aim of examining their composition at the family level. We registered 14 orders and 117 families, among these, the ants (Formicidae) represented the highest percentage of the abundance obtained. We make reference of a possible record of Pheidole megacephala, one of the worst invasive species on Earth. Although we show here preliminary results, our work represents one of the first contributions to the knowledge of the insect fauna in probably the most threatened ecosystem of this territory.

We present an updated list of introduced ants to continental Ecuador, and compile records of occurrence, as well as map the distribution of 15 exotic species. We analyzed specimens in entomological collections and data from AntWeb, GBIF and iNaturalist. Among these, we add two new records for the country: Cardiocondyla mauritanica Forel, 1980 and Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius, 1793). The former is also the first record for South America, while the finding of the latter shows how little we know about introduced tramp ants. In addition, we add site records for nine species: Cardiocondyla emeryi Forel, 1881, Cardiocondyla minutior Forel, 1899, Cardiocon­dyla wroughtonii (Forel, 1890), Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868), Monomorium floricola (Jerdon, 1851), Monomo­rium pharaonis (Linnaeus, 1758), Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille, 1802), Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793), and Tetramorium bicarinatum (Nylander, 1846). Based on our previous fieldwork observations, it appears that our understanding of exotic species richness is still in its early stages.

The monotypic ant genus Igaponera gen. nov. is proposed to include its type species I. curiosa (Mackay & Mackay, 2010). Igaponera gen. nov. is described and phylogenetically compared with other ponerine genera based on external morphology. The type species is known from a single gyne originally described in the genus Pachycondyla Smith, 1858. Igaponera curiosa is easily diagnosed by: costate sculpture on head, mesosoma, and petiole; short, robust, triangular mandibles with blunt apex; relatively large eyes set at mid-length on sides of head; lack of stridulitrum; and presence of distinct but relatively small arolia. Putative apomorphies of the new genus are: cuticular flange concealing metapleural gland opening; vertically standing hypostomal tooth with recessed base; stout mandibular shape with blunt apex; absence of stout spine-like setae on meso- and metatibial apices. Our phylogenetic results based on morphology suggest that Neoponera Emery, 1901 and Pachycondyla are the closest lineages to Igaponera, which shows intermediate characteristics as compared to those genera. The genus is apparently arboreal, known only from a seasonally flooded Igapó forest near Manaus, Brazil. Despite the collection site being frequented by researchers, no other specimens of this genus have been collected in over 40 years prior to this study.