1 Native and Exotic Ants of the Azores (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) by

The Azores, a North Atlantic archipelago, has 14 known ant species. Although some earlier researchers have regarded all ants in the Azores to be exotic, we believe several are native (i.e., predating human arrival). Five ant species found in relatively undisturbed environments and not widely distributed beyond the Azores, neighboring Madeira, and the Mediterranean, we judge to be native to the Azores: Hypoponera eduardi, Lasius grandis, Leptothorax unifasciatus, Monomorium carbonarium, and Plagiolepis schmitzii. In addition, Tetramorium caespitum, though widely distributed, shows variation within the Azores that suggests it is native. Six ant species found only in highly disturbed environments in the Azores and distributed around the world through human commerce, we considered exotic: Hypoponera punctatissima, Linepithema humile, Paratrechina longicornis, Pheidole megacephala, Tetramorium bicarinatum, and Tetramorium caldarium