Impact of invasive exotic animals on native reptiles and amphibians -- Fire ant

The fire ant has been implicated in the decline of native herpetofauna in the southeastern United States since Mount (1981 a,b) first documented their impact. Fire ants are known to kill hatchling turtles and a variety of other reptiles, even while they are in the egg (Conners, 1998; Moulis, 1997). Eggs of American alligators can be breached by fire ants if the egg has hairline fractures or surface irregularities that allow an entry point for ants (Allen et al., 1997). The recent introduction of fire ants into southern California is a cause of great concern since the area has a high diversity of reptiles and amphibians that may be equally susceptible to predation by the ants.

SOURCES

• Allen, C. R., K. G. Rice, D. P. Wojcik, and H. F. Percival. 1997. Effect of red imported fire ant envenomation on neonatal American alligators. J. Herpetol. 31:318-321.
• Conners, J. S. 1998. Chelydra serpentina (common snapping turtle). Predation. Herpetological Review 29:235.
• Moulis, R. A. 1997. Predation by the imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) on loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests on Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 2:433-436.
• Mount, R. H., S. E. Trauth, and W. H. Mason. 1981. Predation by the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta (Hymonoptera: Formicidae), on eggs of the lizard Cnemidophorus sexlineatus (Squamata: Teiidae). Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science 52:66-70.
• Mount, R. H. The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta (Hymonoptera: Formicidae), as a possible serious predator on some native southeastern vertebrates: direct observations and subjective impressions. Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science 52:71-78.