Martins C, Nondillo A, Martins V G, Botton M, Bueno O C
Univ Federal do Piauí, Campus Univ de Parnaíba, Av. São Sebastião, 2819, 64202 Parnaíba, PI, Brasil.
Neotrop Entomol. 2012 Feb;41(1):57-61. doi: 10.1007/s13744-011-0014-8. Epub 2012 Feb 21.
Linepithema micans (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is reported to occur from eastern Brazil to central Argentina in pasture or grassland, forest and second growth riparian forest, nesting under stones, rotting wood, and sandy soil. However, information on this species is poor and its ecological interactions and role as pests are unknown. Linepithema humile (Mayr), a closely related species to L. micans, known as the Argentine ant, is native to South America, and was accidentally introduced to several regions of the world. Recent studies have shown that other related species, such as L. micans, could become as pestiferous as L. humile because of its phylogenetic proximity. Samples of L. micans from different habitats in Southern Brazil were characterized by sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA. Sequences were compared to previously obtained sequences from samples of L. humile and the genetic distance and differences in the tRNALeu structure were investigated. Our data identified three haplotypes of L. micans, two of which were observed in ant populations closely associated with the Brazilian ground pearl Eurhizococcus brasiliensis (Hempel) (Hemiptera: Margarodidae), a soil scale that is a serious pest of vineyards. The third haplotype was identified in ants from populations invading residences in urban habitats.
光亮举腹蚁（Linepithema micans）（膜翅目：蚁科）据报道分布于从巴西东部到阿根廷中部的牧场或草原、森林以及次生河岸林，在石头下、腐烂的木材和沙质土壤中筑巢。然而，关于该物种的信息匮乏，其生态相互作用以及作为害虫的作用尚不清楚。与光亮举腹蚁亲缘关系密切的黑褐举腹蚁（Linepithema humile）（迈尔），即阿根廷蚁，原产于南美洲，并意外地被引入到世界多个地区。最近的研究表明，其他相关物种，如光亮举腹蚁，由于其系统发育上的接近性，可能会变得像黑褐举腹蚁一样具有危害性。通过对线粒体DNA进行测序，对来自巴西南部不同栖息地的光亮举腹蚁样本进行了特征分析。将序列与先前从黑褐举腹蚁样本中获得的序列进行比较，并研究了遗传距离和亮氨酸转运RNA（tRNALeu）结构的差异。我们的数据确定了光亮举腹蚁的三种单倍型，其中两种在与巴西根粉蚧（Eurhizococcus brasiliensis）（亨佩尔）（半翅目：珠蚧科）密切相关的蚁群中观察到，巴西根粉蚧是葡萄园的一种严重害虫。第三种单倍型在入侵城市栖息地住宅的蚁群中被鉴定出来。
