First record of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, from Hispaniola

Abstract

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, is one of the most damaging pest species in the world. A native to the floodplains of subtropical South America, it has been spread to North America and more recently to Australia and Asia. In order to effectively control, manage, and mitigate its impact and spread, it is critical to understand its current distribution. While S. invicta has long been known from the smaller Caribbean islands, it has not been documented from the two largest islands (Hispaniola and Cuba). We present the first record of S. invicta from Hispaniola and discuss its presence in relation to its native congener, S. geminata.