Checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the Solomon Islands and a new survey of Makira Island.

The intent of this paper is to facilitate future research of the Solomon Islands ant fauna by providing the first comprehensively researched species inventory in over 75 years. The species list presented here includes the names of all ant species recorded from the islands that are available in the literature together with specimen records from several museum collections and new records from our 2008 Makira field expedition. All the names of described species presented are valid in accordance with the most recent Formicidae classification. In total, the checklist is composed of 237 species and subspecies (including 30 morphospecies) in 59 genera representing nine subfamilies. We report that the recent field expedition added 67 new species records to Makira and 28 new species records to the Solomon Islands. Our research recovered species occurrence records for 32 individual islands and five island groups. The five islands with the highest number of recorded species are: Makira (142 spp.), Guadalcanal (107 spp.), Malaita (70 spp.), Santa Isabel (68 spp.), and Rennell (66 spp.). Based on our results, we discuss the taxonomic composition of the archipelago's ant fauna, which islands are most in need of additional sampling, and the importance of establishing biodiversity baselines before environmental threats such as the invasive ant Wasmannia auropunctata cause irrevocable harm to the native biodiversity.

Introduction

The intent of this paper is to facilitate future research of the Solomon Island ant fauna and that of the larger Pacific Island region by providing the first comprehensively researched species list in over 75 years (Mann 1919; Wheeler 1935b). Reliable species lists are the foundation for biodiversity and biogeography research. This is especially true for archipelago systems such as the Solomons which serve as natural laboratories for studying the interface of geography, evolution and ecology (Diamond 1975; Diamond and Mayr 1976; Greenslade 1968; MacArthur and Wilson 1967; Mayr and Diamond 2001; Wilson 1959a; 1961). Accurate faunal lists at the archipelago level allow us to analyze biogeographic patterns at the regional scale, and faunal lists at the individual island level allow us to analyze more local scale patterns. These studies are crucial for the development of precise conservation plans that incorporate the distribution of endemic and rare taxa.

Faunal lists are also necessary for recognizing biodiversity blind spots and identifying which regions and islands are most in need of additional sampling. Increasing environmental threats such as deforestation, mining, agriculture and the spread of invasive species give urgency to surveying these poorly sampled regions. In order to assess how these threats affect native biodiversity, it is important to establish baseline inventories before local populations and endemic species are driven extinct.

Geography, geology and climate

The Solomon Islands is a nation in the Southwest Pacific that is composed of seven large islands, a dozen mid-sized islands and over a thousand smaller islands (Figure 1). These islands, which comprise a total land area of 27,556 km2, are situated between the latitudes 5° and 13°S, and longitudes 155° and 169°E. The major central islands include the Shortlands, Choiseul, the New Georgias, Santa Isabel, the Russells, Guadalcanal, the Nggelas (Floridas), Malaita, Makira (San Cristóbal), and Olu Malau (Three Sisters). Rennell and Bellona are southern outlying islands situated along the northern margin of the Coral Sea Basin. Northern outlying islands include Sikaiana and the Ontong Java Atoll, which are on the southwestern edge of the Ontong Java Plateau. The eastern outlying islands of the Santa Cruz group are politically part of the Solomon Islands, but are geologically linked to the islands of Vanuatu (Kroenke and Rodda 1984).

Figure 1.

Map of the Solomon Islands. The map presents all islands and island groups for which ant species were recorded. Each island/island group from which ant species are known is labeled with the geographic name and filled darker grey. Islands for which no ant records appear in the literature are unlabeled and filled with lighter grey. Relevant historic island names from the colonial era are presented with their contemporary counterparts.

The Solomons consist of a double chain of islands separating the Pacific Plate to the north from the Australian Plate to the south (Hall 2002). The islands are believed to have been formed entirely of oceanic origin, and there is no evidence that they were ever attached to continental systems or incorporated any terrains of continental origin (Kroenke and Rodda 1984). They are, in this sense, Darwinian Islands (Gillespie and Roderick 2002). According to several geologic models (Hall 2002) the Solomon Arc formed approximately 40 Ma as part of the Melanesian Arc system. It is unclear, however, when the islands emerged above sea level.

PageBreakBougainville, which lies to the west, belongs politically to Papua New Guinea but is geographically part of the Solomon Islands. The next closest neighbor nation is Vanuatu, which lies southeast of the main archipelago and nearly due south of the Santa Cruz Is.

The climate of the Solomon Islands is characterized as humid with a mean temperature of 27 °C (80 °F) and relatively few fluctuations of temperature or weather. The cooler and drier part of the year occurs from June through August, and the warmer and wetter season occurs from September through May. The annual rainfall is approximately 3050 mm (120 in).

History of ant collection and research in the Solomon Islands

The first ants described from the Solomon Islands were authored by Forel (1910) in a paper on Australian ants based on the collections of W.M. Froggatt and Rowland Turner. Froggatt visited the Solomon Islands to study the insects of the coconut palms, and collected at Tulagi I. and in the Russell Group. W.M. Mann (1919) provided the first and only comprehensive revision of the Solomon Island ant fauna. He spent six months on the archipelago from 19 May to 24 November 1916, and collected on the islands Guadalcanal, Makira, Malaita, Malaupaina, New Georgia, Nggela Sule, Owaraha, Rendova, Russell Is., Santa Cruz, Santa Isabel, Tulagi and Ugi. Mann reported the occurrence of 136 currently recognized species and subspecies, of which PageBreakhe described 68 from his own collections. In addition to a broad discussion of the archipelago’s ant fauna, the treatise also includes keys to Melanesian species of , , , , , , (= ), , and (= ).Additional relevant publications from Mann include descriptions of ant guests from Fiji and the Solomon Islands (Mann 1920), and accounts from his travels in the Solomon Islands (and elsewhere) in his book Ant Hill Odyssey (Mann 1948).

H. Viehmeyer (1924) described a new subspecies subsp. manni (= ) from Mann’s collections at the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ). H. Donisthorpe (1941) described from a worker that was on the same pin as several workers of Mann, all of which were labeled as Emery (= ). Donisthorpe attributed the close similarity of all three species to mimicry.

W.M. Wheeler’s first contribution to the Solomon Island ant fauna was his description of based on specimens collected by Mann from Malaupaina (Wheeler 1918). Wheeler (1934) later published on ants collected by Maurice Willows Jr. from the Santa Cruz and Danger Islands. He listed the names and collection records of 27 currently recognized taxa, including original descriptions for two species (, ) and one subspecies (), along with the first published record of from the Solomons (Wetterer 2009). These records are combined with those of Forel and Mann in Wheeler (1935b).

William Brown treated many Solomon Island taxa in his revisions (Brown 1948; 1958a; b; 1960; 1975; 1976; 1978; 1988; 1995; Willey and Brown 1983). Gressitt (1958) reported on the pest behavior of (= ) invading buildings in Malaita. According to Wilson (1962), the B.P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, initiated a collecting program in the Solomons under the direction of Gressitt, and there is likely a considerable amount of ant material that remains unreported in the literature.

Research on economically important ants involved in coconut production was an active field in the Solomons from the 1930’s through the 1960’s (Leston 1973; Lever 1933; 1961; O’Conner 1949; 1950; Phillips 1940; 1956). E.S. Brown (1959) recorded over 60 species of ants (including five new country records) collected during his work among coconut plantations in Guadalcanal and Malaita.

Philip J.M. Greenslade has arguably collected more thoroughly across the Solomons than anyone since Mann. Greenslade published seven papers between 1964 and 1988 based on fieldwork he conducted in the Solomons (Greenslade 1964; 1971a; b; 1972; Greenslade and Greenslade 1970; 1971; 1977). The research focused primarily on the ecology of ants that are dominant in coconut plantations and are involved in the biological control of a coconut pest, China and the premature nutfall of coconut fruit. In addition to providing valuable ecological information on the four most dominant ant species in these plantations ( (Smith, F.), Forel, (Fabricius) and (Smith, F.)), Greenslade also PageBreakcollected a broad diversity of less economically important ant species, mainly from Mt. Austen (Guadalcanal) and Kukum—the nearby Solomon Is. Department of Agriculture farm. These specimens, most of which were deposited at the ANIC, included many new species in addition to the first records of (Taylor 1965) and (Bolton 2000) for the Solomon Islands. Interestingly, Greenslade’s (1968) work on the avifauna of the Solomon Islands was the first to apply the taxon cycle model to birds.

E.O. Wilson included many species from the Solomon Islands during his revisionary work of the Melanesian ant fauna, including species currently in the genera , , and (1958a); , , , and (1958b); and (1959c); and (1959d). Wilson and Taylor (1967) added several new species records for the Solomons, including (Wheeler) and Brown (as (Brown)). Wilson and Hunt (1967) included records for the Solomons. In addition to these taxonomic studies, Wilson also included ants from the Solomons in his influential papers on the taxon cycle hypothesis (Wilson 1959a; 1961) and the theory of island biogeography (MacArthur and Wilson 1967).

Wilson’s (1962) paper on the ants of Rennell and Bellona Islands examined specimens collected from three sources: a Danish Expedition (Wolff 1955); a British expedition (Bradley 1955), and a private collection made on Rennell and Bellona for several weeks during 1955, by Mr. E.S. Brown. Wilson recorded 25 species of ants in 17 genera from Rennell (including the first record of from the Solomons). He considered these to represent a large percentage of the actual ant diversity, but admitted that the lack of cryptobiotic ponerine and myrmicine species suggest that his list is incomplete. He concluded that the Rennell ant fauna is primarily composed of widespread Pacific natives that invaded the island relatively recently and are representative of ‘Stage-I’ species discussed in his taxon cycle hypothesis (Wilson 1959a; 1961).

Robert Taylor, in addition to describing (Taylor 1965), also described (Taylor 1968), and ( = ) (Taylor 1979) from specimens collected by P.J.M. Greenslade on or near Mt. Austen. Rudolf Kohout’s work on added several new species records to the Solomons, introduced new synonyms and nomenclatural changes, and included the description of three new species (, , ) endemic to the Solomons (Kohout 1990; 1998; 2006). Barry Bolton described (Bolton 1975), from the Solomons, provided the replacement name of Bolton for the junior secondary homonym (= ) pulchella Mann (Bolton 1985), and added new records of dacetines in the Solomons (Bolton 2000). Bolton(1976) also described from specimens Mann (1919) mistakenly identified as André. Kugler described from a Greenslade collection made on Guadalcanal (Kugler 1994). Lattke included the Solomon Islands in his biogeographic analysis of in Southeast Asia (Lattke 2003) and described two new species ( and )from there (Lattke 2004). Lucky & Sarnat (2008) included Mann in their phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis of the gePageBreaknus. Sarnat and Moreau (2011) included species from the Solomons in their phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis of the Fijian and selected congeners from across the Pacific.

Methods

Compilation of names

In order to compile a comprehensive and accurate inventory of ant species recorded from the Solomon Islands, we researched taxonomic names that were associated with the region in the literature. We reviewed the names of all taxa that were originally described from Solomons, reviewed specimen records from Antweb.org, reviewed the species list for the Solomon Islands presented on Antwiki , searched the Formis database (Porter and Wojcik 2012) for all relevant literature containing the term ‘Solomon’, and reviewed relevant taxonomic and regional literature. We also reviewed a dataset of ca. 1,040 specimen records of identified ants collected in the Solomon Islands that are deposited at the ANIC (Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra). We used the Bolton (2012) catalog to determine the valid names of all the species on the list. The Bolton (2012) catalog does not recognize the synonymy of with , as implicitly proposed by Mackay and Mackay (2010), and the name is retained here as valid.

Names were eliminated where we found evidence of misidentification or geographic inconsistencies such as geographic names erroneously considered as belonging to the Solomon Islands. We also reconciled situations in which different authors may have referred to the same species by different valid names. For example, there were instances in which we believe one author referred to a taxon using its specific name, and another author referred to the same taxon by its infraspecific name. In cases such as these, and in the absence of additional evidence, we use the infraspecific name. We also note which other names we interpret as referring to the same taxon, and which publications those names occur in.

In addition to the valid names, we also use morphospecies codes to refer to presumptive species that either we or previous authors were unable to determine. The morphospecies code is ‘BP’ (The administrative code for the Solomon Islands) followed and a unique two-digit number (e.g. ‘ sp. BP01’).

Bougainville is considered to belong geographically but not politically to the Solomons. As such we do not include species recorded from Bougainville that have not also been reported from at least one of islands to its east.

Survey of Makira

In addition to basing the present study on the aforementioned published records, we also include records from our own recent survey of the Solomons. Three of the authors (E.P.E., PageBreakE.M.S., J.F.) collected ants in the Solomons from 30 January to 9 February, 2008. Aside from a few collections made on Mt. Austen (Guadalcanal I.), the survey primarily focused on Makira Island (formerly San Cristóbal) where we trekked and collected from Kirakira on the coast to the interior village of Maraone, reaching a maximum elevation of 912 m. Survey methods included hand collection and litter sifting along standardized transects using Winkler extraction bags. All specimens were collected into and stored in 95% ethanol. Pinned specimens were identified using the available literature and compared to type and determined material at the United States National Museum of Natural History (USNM), Washington D.C., USA, and the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZC), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. These two collections are the primary depositories for Mann’s type material and also include type material designated by W.L. Brown, W.M. Wheeler and E.O. Wilson. We include the species records from this survey with the literature records.

Island records

Occurrence data of ant species on individual islands and island groups were compiled from the relevant literature. More detailed data with literature references for each species-island occurrence is available from the authors upon request. A map of the Solomon Islands (Figure 1) is also presented in which the name of every island and island group from which ant species have been recorded is labeled. The constituent islands comprising the listed island groups are presented in Table 1. In addition to including all taxa from Appendixes 1 and 2, we also include taxa from the 2008 survey of Makira that remain undetermined but might belong to previously described species. Inclusion of these additional taxa may weakly bias the observed species richness of Makira towards a higher value, but exclusion of these taxa would cause an even greater bias towards a lower value.

Table 1.

Island groups and their constituent islands.

Island Group	Islands
Santa Cruz Is.	Anuta, Nendö (Santa Cruz), Nupani, Reef Is., Tikopia, Vanikoro
Olu Malau Is. (Three Sisters)	Malaupaina
Nggela Is. (Florida Is.)	Nggela Sule (Florida), Tulagi
New Georgia Is.	Kolombangarav, New Georgia, Rendova, Vangunu, Vella Lavella
Reef Is.	Matema

Sampling analysis

We used our data compilation to estimate in a general sense how undersampled the Solomon Islands are for ants. First, we compared the species richness of individual islands in the Solomons with counts of the Fijian islands, which were the target of recent intensive sampling and taxonomic analysis (Sarnat and Economo 2012). We also compared the species richness of Makira from records before and after our 2008 survey.

Results

Ant records from the Solomon Islands

We present a list of nine subfamilies, 60 genera and 215 valid ant species and subspecies for the Solomon Islands based on our review of the literature and our recent collections from Makira (Appendix 1). We also present a list of 23 presumptively undescribed species that have also been recorded from the Solomons (Appendix 2). The generic composition and diversity of the Solomons is presented in Table 1. In total, our research suggests that the Solomon Islands support at least 237 unique ant taxa. The full species list with associated images and specimen data is available on Antweb.org .

We excluded the following taxa from the list as they were reported from Bougainville but not from within the political boundaries of the Solomon Islands: (Emery), (Mayr), Stitz, and subsp. hiram Forel.

The following taxa were reported from the Solomon Islands, but are not believed to occur there either because the records were based on misidentified material or erroneous interpretation of locality data.

(Le Guillou, 1842): 316. Type locality: Tonga, Vavao. The website Antwiki.org, accessed 5 October 2012, listed this species under its Solomon Island webpage. The list was generated by extracting all species for which the Solomon Is. were listed as the type locality from the Bolton Catalog (Bolton et al. 2006). Although there are several Vavao islands in the Pacific (including in the Solomon PageBreakIs.) the original description lists the type locality as (íles des Amis), which suggests Tonga (often referred to in older literature as the ‘Friendly Islands’) is the more likely country. Moreover, the species does not appear in any of the reviewed literature as occurring in the Solomons.

Roger, 1863: 139. Type locality: Sri Lanka. The first record of Roger appeared in Wilson (1962). Wilson explicitly applied Roger to the Solomons material that Wheeler (1934) referred to as subsp. bedoti Emery. In following the current classification (Bolton 2012), we accept Emery as a valid species, and apply that name to all the material from the Solomons referred to as Roger. The decision to do so is somewhat arbitrary given the current state of taxonomy for Indo-Australian , but we believe that both names refer to the same species in the Solomons.

(Emery, 1900): 320. Type locality: New Guinea. Mann (1919) reported this species as occurring in the Solomon Is., but Wilson (1958b) believed Mann’s specimens belonged to (= ) Wilson.

(Smith, 1857): 69. Type locality: Borneo. Mann (1919) reported this species as occurring in the Solomon Islands, but Wilson (1958a) considered Mann’s specimens to be a mixed series, part of which belong to Smith, F. and the other part to Wilson.

(Linnaeus, 1758): 582. Type locality: “America meridionali.” It is presumed that specimens referred to as by Mann (1919), Wheeler (1934; 1935a) and E. S. Brown (1959) prior to Wilson’s (1959b) revision belong instead to Smith, F.

Guérin-Méneville, 1844: 423. Type locality: Cuba. Forel (1910) reported this species as occurring in the Solomon Is., but it is more likely that this was a misidentification and that the specimens he examined belong to Smith, F. is not known from the Old World and was not included in Wilson (1959c).

Mayr, 1866: 899. Type locality: South Africa. Forel (1910) reported this species as occurring in the Solomon Is., but it is more likely that the specimens he examined belong to the cosmopolitan tramp .

(Smith, F. 1859): 137. Type locality: Indonesia, Aru I. In his introduction, Greenslade (1972) treated (= )Smith, F. as the senior synonym of var. myrmecodiae (= ) Emery. However, has been accepted as a valid species since 1903 PageBreak(Bolton 2012; Shattuck 1994). The correct name for the Solomons material would require comparison against type material for both taxa. In the meantime, our decision to use rather than reflects our belief that (1) insofar as the Solomon Is. are concerned, the use of both names refer to the same species; and (2) there is no taxonomic evidence proposed by Greenslade that Mann’s (1919) use of was misapplied.

André, 1887: 294. Type locality: India. Mann (1919) misidentified a series of specimens as belonging to André that Bolton(1976) subsequently described as .We assume here that the specimens referred to as by Taylor (1976) are also .

Makira Island Survey

We collected a total of 67 described species and 30 presumptive species that are either undescribed or that we were unable to determine. Based on comparisons with type material, previously determined material and literature review, we suspect approximately 15 of the presumptive species are new to science. These taxa are included in Appendix 2. The survey added 67 new species records to Makira of taxa included in Appendixes 1 and 2, bringing the total number of species known from the island to 142. The survey also added 28 new species records to the Solomon Islands. Of these, six are previously described species (including three introduced species), and the remainder of species are included in Appendix 2.

Island records and sampling analysis

Our research recovered species occurrence records for 32 individual islands and five island groups out of the approximately 75 named small to large individual islands and approximately 12 named island groups. These occurrence records are presented in Appendix 3. The 261 taxon names include the 215 described species and subspecies from Appendix 1, the 22 presumptive undescribed species from Appendix 2, and 24 additional morphospecies that likely represent a mixture of previously described species and undescribed species. This latter group is restricted to specimens collected during the 2008 Makira survey. The five islands with the highest number of species records, listed from greatest to least, are: Makira (142 spp.), Guadalcanal (107 spp.), Malaita (71 spp.), Santa Isabel (68 spp.), and Rennell (66 spp.). Fourteen individual islands have occurrence records for between 11–38 species. Thirteen individual islands have occurrence records for between 1–8 species.

The ten most widely distributed species, with the number of islands each is reported from, are: (27), (18), (17), (15), (13), (13), (13), (13), (13), (13). One hundred seven of the species and morphospecies included in Appendix 3 are only reported from single islands.

Discussion

In total, our research suggests that the Solomon Islands support at least 237 unique ant species and subspecies. The poor sampling of many islands–some of which are quite large–and the unexamined material at the ANIC suggests that the true number is likely much greater. For example, our eight days of intensive hand collection and Winkler extractions on Makira added 67 new species records to the island (including all morphospecies) and 28 new records to the archipelago. Prior to the survey, Makira Island’s 75 species records were the second highest of the entire archipelago. Choiseul Island by comparison is approximately equal in area to Makira and closer to New Guinea, but the ant fauna of the island is virtually unknown with only eleven species recorded in the literature. There are approximately as many species known from the islands of Santa Isabel and Malaita as there are from Rennell, despite the substantially larger area of the former islands and their closer proximity to other large islands within the archipelago. The difference is that although no ant specialists have thoroughly sampled Rennell, general entomologists have collected there and the ant specimens of those surveys were the subject of several faunistic reviews (Taylor 1976; Wilson 1962). Besides Makira and Rennell Islands, the only island that has been moderately sampled–thanks to the works of Mann and Greenslade–is Guadalcanal.

Compared to Fijian islands of similar size, known species richness is generally much lower for individual islands within the Solomons, despite the fact that Fiji is much more isolated in the Pacific (Figure 2). This is likely due to relative sampling intensity of the two areas. Fiji has recently received intensive sampling efforts (Sarnat and Economo 2012), while richness differences among the Solomon Islands are still driven in large part by which islands were visited by W.M. Mann in 1916. For example, the 38 recorded species reported from the small island of Ugi (42 km2), where Mann resided and collected for several weeks, is a richness comparable with a similar-sized Fijian island. Several large islands not visited by Mann have almost no records (e.g. Choiseul 2,966 km2, 11 spp.; Kolombangara 704 km2, 17 spp.). Our modest survey of Makira, where we spent approximately one week of collecting time, increased known richness from 75 to 142 species. There is no doubt that such modest collecting efforts elsewhere in the archipelago would yield similar increases.

Figure 2.

The relationship between islands area and known species richness. The figure presents individual islands in the Solomon (circles) and Fijian (squares) archipelagos, illustrating the undersampling of most Solomon Islands relative to the better collected Fiji Islands. For Makira, we present known species richness before (open circle) and after (filled circle) our recent collecting expedition. Numbers: 1 Guadalcanal 2 Malaita 3 Makira 4 Choiseul 5 New Georgia 6Santa Isabel 7 Kolombangara 8 Rennell 9 Vella Lavella 10 Vangunu 11 Nendö (Santa Cruz) 12 Rendova 13 Nggela Sule 14 Shortland 15 Vanikoro 16 San Jorge 17 Russell Is. 18 Ugi 19 Savo.

The species list compiled from our research suggests several interesting taxonomic patterns. For example, species richness across the 51 native ant genera of the Solomons appears uneven. The 30 species represent 14% of the total native species. The nine most diverse genera (, , , , , , , ,and ) collectively contain over half of the total native species, while fifteen genera are represented by a single native species.

PageBreakWhy is so strongly represented in the Solomons? These results are likely biased to some extent by idiosyncratic collecting and taxonomic study. Besides the work of Mann, and to a lesser extent Greenslade, most of the collections from the Solomons have been made by more generalist collectors, which tend to take larger, more conspicuous ants that forage on and nest in vegetation–all of which are characteristic of . Furthermore, Rudolf Kohout, who has access to the considerable collection of Solomons material at the ANIC, has devoted much of his taxonomic efforts towards revising the of the Indo-Australian region (Kohout 1990; 1998; 2006; 2012). Despite these apparent biases, it is somewhat remarkable that with a single exception, the eight distinct lineages that colonized the Solomons (as inferred from their subgeneric classifications) were unable to colonize, or at least persist PageBreakin the more eastern Pacific islands. That single exception, Wilson & Taylor,is known from the island of Rotuma which belongs politically to Fiji but is quite isolated from the Fijian archipelago and shares more geological and biological affinity with the islands of Polynesia.

(9 native spp.), (7 native spp.)and (6 native spp.) are also among the most diverse ant genera in the Solomon Islands, but are either absent from or poorly represented in more easterly archipelagos. Fiji, for example, supports a single native species ( Mann), and does not support any native or species (Sarnat and Economo 2012). The Solomons are the known eastern limit for many ant genera. Out of the 51 genera native to the Solomons, the following 19 are not known to occur in the Pacific in or east of the Fijian archipelago: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

While additional sampling may prove otherwise, the current analysis of the Solomons ant fauna does not appear to support the type of in situ single-lineage radiations that characterize much of the Fijian ant fauna to the east. Parallels to the dramatic radiations of the group (Economo and Sarnat 2012; Sarnat 2008), (Lucky and Sarnat 2008; Sarnat 2006), and the group (Sarnat and Economo 2012) are largely unknown from the Solomons. It is likely that the Solomons ant fauna is derived more from relatively frequent colonization events from nearby New Guinea than from sweepstakes colonists that diversified into largely unoccupied ecological niches as occurred in the more isolated Fijian archipelago. Unlike New Guinea and Fiji,the Solomons do not support any endemic ant genera.

The importance of establishing baseline faunal inventories for the entire Solomon Island archipelago and its constituent islands is especially important when considering the growing environmental impacts resource extraction, plantation agriculture and invasive species are having on native biodiversity. Perhaps the greatest threat to native ant species in the Solomons is the spread of the Little Fire Ant (Fasi 2009). The introduction of into the Solomon Islands is believed to have occurred around 1974, possibly with the arrival of coconut nurseries (Fabres and Brown 1978; Ikin 1984; Wetterer 1997). Foucaud et al. (2010) determined that a single clonal queen genotype is shared between the Melanesian populations of from the Solomons, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Australia, and suggested that the population spread by means of traditional exchange of plants and goods among Melanesian people. Although there have been reports of the ant’s effect on vertebrates in the Solomons, such as blinding dogs and attacking hatchlings of the ground-nesting Melanesian Scrubfowl ( Hartlaub) (Wetterer 1997), and also its effect on food crops and subsistence agriculture (Fasi 2009), there have yet to be any studies examining the effect of on native ant diversity in the Solomons. The potential for spread of across the entire archipelago is high (Fasi 2009), and it is likely a matter of years before all the major islands are infested. PageBreakWe hope the research presented here will help facilitate more study of the neglected Solomon Island ant fauna and aid conservation efforts before and other environmental threats cause irrevocable harm.

Table 2.

Number of presumptive native species from Appendix 1 for each genus (arranged from greatest to least). Diverse genera with well-established subgenera are nested under the genus name and the species number of each is presented in parentheses.

Genus (Subgenus)	Native spp.	%Total
Polyrhachis	30	14
Polyrhachis (Myrma)	(7)	–
Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma)	(5)	–
Polyrhachis (Chariomyrma)	(4)	–
Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma)	(4)	–
Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla)	(3)	–
Polyrhachis (Myrmatopa)	(2)	–
Polyrhachis (Myrmothrinax)	(1)	–
Polyrhachis (Hirtomyrma)	(1)	–
Pheidole	15	7
Camponotus	14	7
Camponotus (Colobopsis)	(5)	–
Tetramorium	11	5
Vollenhovia	11	5
Pachycondyla	9	4
Strumigenys	9	4
Crematogaster	7	3
Crematogaster (Crematogaster)	(5)	–
Crematogaster (Orthocrema)	(2)	–
Gnamptogenys	6	3
Cryptopone	5	2
Hypoponera	5	2
Myrmecina	5	2
Nylanderia	5	2
Ponera	5	2
Acropyga	4	2
Cerapachys	4	2
Eurhopalothrix	4	2
Leptogenys	4	2
Myopias	4	2
Odontomachus	4	2
Anochetus	3	1
Rogeria	3	1
Adelomyrmex	2	1
Arnoldius	2	1
Cardiocondyla	2	1
Carebara	2	1
Colobostruma	2	1
Iridomyrmex	2	1
Podomyrma	2	1
Prionopelta	2	1
Pristomyrmex	2	1
Proceratium	2	1
Rhytidoponera	2	1
Solenopsis	2	1
Stigmatomma	2	1
Turneria	2	1
Amblyopone	1	<1
Anonychomyrma	1	<1
Discothyrea	1	<1
Lordomyrma	1	<1
Monomorium	1	<1
Myopopone	1	<1
Oecophylla	1	<1
Opisthopsis	1	<1
Paraparatrechina	1	<1
Philidris	1	<1
Platythyrea	1	<1
Probolomyrmex	1	<1
Stereomyrmex	1	<1
Tapinoma	1	<1
Tetraponera	1	<1

Taxon	Author	Year	Reference
Amblyoponinae
Amblyopone australis	Erichson, 1842: 261	1919	3, 8, 9, 13, 17, 38, 81
Myopopone castanea	(Smith, F. 1860): 105	1919	3, 8, 9, 13, 17, 21, 81
Prionopelta majuscula	Emery, 1897b: 595	2008	60, 81
Prionopelta opaca	Emery, 1897b: 596	1976	34, 60, 79, 81
Stigmatomma celata	(Mann, 1919): 279	1919	3, 8, 13, 17, 21, 34, 38, 81
Stigmatomma gnoma	Taylor, 1979: 829	1978	38, 81
Cerapachyinae
Cerapachys inconspicuus	Emery, 1901: 153	1919	3, 8, 9, 18, 20, 34
Cerapachys pawa	Mann, 1919: 277	1919	3, 8, 20, 32
Cerapachys terricola	Mann, 1919: 277	1919	3, 8, 32, 79
Dolichoderinae
Anonychomyrma dimorpha	(Viehmeyer, 1912): 7	1919	3, 8, 9, 79
Arnoldius pusillus	(Mayr, 1876): 83	1959	15
Iridomyrmex anceps	(Roger, 1863a): 164	1919	3, 6, 8, 15, 36, 81
Iridomyrmex pallidus	Forel, 1901: 22	1963	81
Iridomyrmex rufoniger	(Lowne, 1865): 279	1919	3, 8
Ochetellus glaber*	(Mayr, 1862): 705	2009	79
Philidris myrmecodiae	(Emery, 1887): 249	1919	3, 6, 8, 15, 16, 291, 301, 681, 341, 361, 79
Tapinoma (Micromyrma) indicum timidum	Santschi, 1928	1959	15
Tapinoma melanocephalum*	(Fabricius, 1793): 353	1934	6, 8, 15, 18, 34, 36, 73, 81
Tapinoma minutum	Mayr, 1862: 703	1967	26
Technomyrmex albipes*	(Smith, F. 1861): 38	1910	1, 3, 8, 15, 18, 34, 36, 56, 79, 81
Technomyrmex vitiensis	Mann, 1921: 473	2008	79
Turneria dahlii	Forel, 1901: 17	1959	18, 34, 42, 81
Turneria pacifica	Mann, 1919: 361	1919	3, 42, 81
Ectatomminae
Gnamptogenys albiclava	(Mann, 1919): 283	1919	3, 8, 11, 17, 54
Gnamptogenys crenaticeps	(Mann, 1919): 285	1919	3, 8, 11, 17, 54, 79
Gnamptogenys lucida	(Mann, 1919): 285	1919	3, 8, 11, 17, 54
Gnamptogenys malaensis	(Mann, 1919): 281	1919	3, 8, 11, 17, 54, 79
Gnamptogenys preciosa	Lattke, 2004: 66	2004	54, 81
Gnamptogenys solomonensis	Lattke, 2004: 66	2004	54, 81
Rhytidoponera araneoides	(Le Guillou, 1842): 317	1910	1, 3, 14, 17, 79, 81
Rhytidoponera chalybaea	Emery, 1901b: 51	1959	15
Formicinae
Acropyga acutiventris	Roger, 1862: 243	1919	3, 8, 53, 79, 81
Acropyga lauta	Mann, 1919: 365	1919	3, 8, 53, 79, 81
Acropyga oceanica	Emery, 1900: 333	2008	79
Acropyga pallida	(Donisthorpe, 1938): 598	1965	81
Anoplolepis gracilipes*	Smith, F. 1857: 55	1919	3, 6, 8, 15, 15, 18, 29, 30, 68, 34, 36, 81
Brachymyrmex obscurior*	Forel, 1893: 345	1976	34, 79
Camponotus (Myrmamblys) bedoti	Emery, 1893: 196	1919	3, 6, 8, 15, 182, 342, 362
Camponotus chloroticus	Emery, 1897b: 574	1959	15
Camponotus elysii	Mann, 1919: 372	1919	3, 8
Camponotus guppyi	Mann, 1919: 370	1919	3, 8
Camponotus loa	Mann, 1919: 373	1919	3, 8
Camponotus loa belli	Mann, 1919: 375	1919	3, 8
Camponotus novaehollandiae	Mayr, 1870: 939	1919	3
Nylanderia bourbonica*	(Forel, 1886): 210	1959	15, 34, 36, 81
Nylanderia braueri glabrior	(Forel, 1902): 490	1954	81
Nylanderia dichroa	Wheeler 1934: 181	1934	6, 8, 81
Nylanderia manni	Donisthorpe, 1941: 41	1941	72, 15, 36
Nylanderia obscura bismarckensis	(Forel, 1901): 26	1919	3, 6, 8
Nylanderia stigmatica	Mann, 1919: 367	1919	3, 8, 62, 79, 81
Nylanderia vaga*	(Forel, 1901): 26	1934	6, 8, 18, 26, 34, 36, 79, 81
Nylanderia vividula*	(Nylander, 1846): 900	1919	3, 15, 79
Oecophylla smaragdina subnitida	Emery 1892: 565	1910	1, 3, 6, 8, 153, 163, 293, 303, 683, 363, 793, 813
Opisthopsis manni	Wheeler, W.M. 1918: 361	1918	2, 3, 8, 15
Paraparatrechina minutula	(Forel, 1901): 25	1919	3, 8, 15, 34, 79, 81
Paratrechina longicornis*	(Latreille, 1802): 113	1919	3, 8, 15, 34, 79, 81
Plagiolepis alluaudi*	Emery, 1894: 71	1959	15
Polyrhachis (Myrma) andromache	Roger, 1863b: 8	1959	34, 18, 345, 79
Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) annae	Mann, 1919: 377	1919	3, 6, 8, 15, 18, 34
Polyrhachis (Chariomyrma) arcuata acutinota	Forel, 1901: 31	1934	6
Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) campbelli	Mann, 1919: 376	1919	3, 8, 79
Polyrhachis (Myrmothrinax) dahlii	Forel, 1901: 30	1919	3, 8, 9, 64
Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) emeryana	Mann, 1919: 390	1919	3, 8, 55
Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) fulakora	Mann, 1919: 389	1919	3, 8, 15, 55
Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) geminata	Mann, 1919: 376	1919	3, 8, 79
Polyrhachis greensladei	Kohout, 1990: 503	1990	74
Polyrhachis (Myrma) ithona	Smith, F., 1860: 99	1934	6, 8
Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) johnsoni	Mann, 1919: 390	1919	3, 8, 55
Polyrhachis (Chariomyrma) kaipi	Mann, 1919: 382	1919	3, 6, 8, 79
Polyrhachis (Myrma) labella brunneipes	Wheeler, 1934	1934	6, 8
Polyrhachis (Myrma) litigiosa	Emery, 1897b: 581	1919	3, 8, 79
Polyrhachis (Myrma) malaensis	Mann, 1919: 386	1919	3, 8
Polyrhachis nofra	Bolton, 1975: 9	1975	31
Polyrhachis (Myrmatopa) osae	Mann, 1919: 384	1919	3, 6, 8, 9, 15
Polyrhachis pacifica	Kohout, 2006: 140	2006	55
Polyrhachis (Chariomyrma) rere	Mann, 1919: 381	1919	3, 6, 8, 15
Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) saevissima argentea	Mayr, 1862: 82	1919	3, 8, 9
Polyrhachis (Myrma) salomo	Forel, 1910: 87	1910	1, 3, 8, 15
Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) santschii	Mann, 1919: 375	1919	3, 8
Polyrhachis setosa	Kohout, 2006: 141	2006	55
Polyrhachis (Myrma) similis	Viehmeyer, 1912: 8	1919	3, 8
Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) ugiensis	Mann, 1919: 389	1919	3, 8, 55, 79
Polyrhachis (Myrmatopa) ulysses	Forel, 1910: 91	1910	1, 3, 8
Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) undulata	Kohout, 2006: 142	2006	55, 79
Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) wheeleri	Mann, 1919: 387	1919	3, 8, 9
Myrmicinae
Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi*	Terayama, 1999: 100	2009	79
Cardiocondyla nivalis	Mann, 1919: 317	1919	3, 8, 34, 36
Cardiocondyla nuda	(Mayr, 1866): 508	1959	15, 34, 36, 51, 59
Carebara atoma	(Emery, 1900): 328	1919	3, 8, 34, 36, 79
Carebara viehmeyeri	(Mann, 1919): 331	1919	3, 8, 79
Colobostruma foliacea	Emery, 1897a: 573	2000	48, 81
Crematogaster (Crematogaster) abrupta	Mann, 1919: 320	1935	8, 15, 61
Crematogaster (Crematogaster) elysii	Mann, 1919: 319	1935	8, 3, 61
Crematogaster (Crematogaster) foxi	Mann, 1919: 321	1935	8, 3, 61
Crematogaster (Crematogaster) nesiotis	Mann, 1919: 322	1935	8, 3, 61
Crematogaster (Crematogaster) obnigra	Mann, 1919: 323	1919	3, 15, 61
Crematogaster (Orthocrema) scita	Forel, 1902: 409	1959	15
Crematogaster (Orthocrema) wheeleri	Mann, 1919: 318	1935	8, 3, 61
Eurhopalothrix brevicornis	(Emery, 1897a): 572	1977	36, 80, 28, 82
Eurhopalothrix greensladei	Taylor, 1968: 342	1968	28, 82
Eurhopalothrix isabellae	(Mann, 1919): 357	1919	3, 8, 22, 80, 28, 82
Eurhopalothrix procera	(Emery, 1897a): 572	1919	3, 8, 22, 28, 79, 81, 82
Lordomyrma epinotalis	(Mann, 1919): 343	1919	3, 8, 34, 58, 79
Monomorium australicum	Forel, 1907:20	1919	3, 8, 15, 34, 36
Monomorium destructor*	(Jerdon, 1851): 105	1959	18, 34
Monomorium floricola*	(Jerdon, 1851): 107	1959	15, 34, 36, 41, 79, 81
Monomorium pharaonis*	(Linnaeus, 1758): 580	1919	3, 8, 15, 34, 41, 81
Myrmecina modesta	Mann, 1919: 335	1919	3, 8, 346
Myrmecina modesta subarmata	Mann, 1919: 337	1919	3, 8
Myrmecina transversa	Emery, 1897a: 582	2008	79
Pheidole belli	Mann, 1919: 306	1919	3, 8
Pheidole erato	Mann, 1919: 307	1919	3, 8
Pheidole fuscula	Emery, 1900: 325	1919	3, 8
Pheidole isis	Mann, 1919: 311	1919	3, 8
Pheidole isis taki	Mann, 1919: 314	1919	3, 8, 79
Pheidole megacephala*	(Fabricius, 1793): 361	1910	17, 6, 8, 15, 26, 30, 34, 81
Pheidole mendanai	Mann, 1919: 311	1919	3, 8
Pheidole nindi	Mann, 1919: 314	1919	3, 8, 34, 36, 79
Pheidole oceanica	Mayr, 1866: 510	1919	3, 8, 15, 18, 34, 36, 79
Pheidole philemon	Forel, 1910: 44	1910	1, 3, 8, 15, 79
Pheidole sexspinosa	Mayr, 1870: 977	1919	3, 8, 34, 36, 79
Pheidole sexspinosa fuscescens	Emery, 1900: 323	1919	3, 8, 18
Pheidole umbonata	Mayr, 1870: 978	1919	3, 8, 15, 18, 34, 36
Podomyrma basalis salomo	Mann, 1919: 333	1919	3, 8
Podomyrma basalis woodfordi	Mann, 1919: 334	1919	3, 8
Pristomyrmex levigatus	Emery, 1897a: 583	1919	3, 52, 79
Pristomyrmex obesus	Mann, 1919: 339	1919	3, 8, 80, 52
Rogeria megastigmatica	Kugler, C. 1994: 35	1994	45, 79
Rogeria stigmatica	Emery, 1897: 589	1919	3, 8, 34, 45
Romblonella elysii	(Mann, 1919): 346	1919	3, 8, 44
Solenopsis geminata*	(Fabricius, 1804): 423	1977	36
Solenopsis papuana	Emery, 1900: 330	1919	3, 79
Solenopsis pawaensis	Mann, 1919: 329	1919	3, 79
Stereomyrmex dispar	(Wheeler, W.M. 1934): 175	1934	6, 18, 34, 44
Strumigenys chyzeri	Emery, 1897a: 576	1919	3, 48, 79
Strumigenys decollata	Mann, 1919: 353	1919	3, 8, 12, 48
Strumigenys emmae*	Emery, 1890: 70	1976	34, 36, 48, 81
Strumigenys eurycera	Emery, 1897a: 581	2000	48, 81
Strumigenys frivaldszkyi	Emery, 1897: 580	1976	34, 48, 79
Strumigenys godeffroyi*	Mayr, 1866: 516	1919	3, 15, 34, 36, 47, 48, 79
Strumigenys karawajewi	(Brown, 1948): 44	1976	34, 46, 48, 79, 81
Strumigenys membranifera*	(Emery, 1869): 24	2000	48, 36, 81
Strumigenys mocsaryi	(Emery, 1897a): 580	2000	48
Strumigenys rogeri*	Emery, 1890: 68	2000	48
Strumigenys szalayi	Emery, 1897: 578	2000	48, 79
Strumigenys undras	Bolton, 2000: 752	2000	48
Strumigenys yaleopleura	Brown, 1988: 41	2000	48
Tetramorium antennatum	(Mann, 1919): 350	1919	3
Tetramorium aspersum	(Smith, F. 1865): 72	1919	3, 6, 8, 35, 79
Tetramorium bicarinatum*	(Nylander, 1846): 1061	1919	38, 68, 88, 158, 348, 35, 36
Tetramorium carinatum	(Smith, F. 1859): 148	1919	3, 8
Tetramorium insolens	(Smith, F., 1861)	1934	6, 8, 18, 34, 35
Tetramorium lanuginosum*	Mayr, 1870: 976	1935	8, 69
Tetramorium mayri	(Mann, 1919: 351)	1919	3, 8, 79
Tetramorium melanogyna	Mann, 1919: 345	1919	3, 8, 79
Tetramorium mutatum	Bolton, 1985: 247	1919	3, 8, 69
Tetramorium pacificum	Mayr, 1870: 976	1934	6, 8, 18, 34, 35
Tetramorium salomo	Mann, 1919: 344	1935	8, 35, 79
Tetramorium simillimum*	(Smith, F. 1851): 118	1959	15, 34, 35, 36, 79
Tetramorium tonganum	Mayr, 1870: 976	1919	3, 8, 15, 18, 34, 35
Tetramorium vombis	Bolton, 1976: 358	1985	39, 349, 69
Vollenhovia dentata	Mann, 1919: 325	1919	3, 8, 24, 79
Vollenhovia dentata marginata	Mann, 1919: 327	1919	3, 8, 24
Vollenhovia elysii	Mann, 1919: 327	1919	3, 8, 24
Vollenhovia foveaceps	Mann, 1919: 328	1919	3, 8, 24
Vollenhovia loboii	Mann, 1919: 324	1919	3, 8, 24
Vollenhovia oblonga	(Smith, F. 1861): 46	1959	18, 34, 43
Vollenhovia oblonga pedestris	(Smith, F. 1860): 107	1919	3, 8, 15, 79
Vollenhovia subtilis	Emery, 1887: 454	1919	3, 8
Wasmannia auropunctata*	(Roger, 1863a): 183	1984	40, 75, 76, 77, 79
Ponerinae
Anochetus cato	Forel, 1901: 6	1919	3, 8, 17, 19, 79, 81
Anochetus graeffei	Mayr, 1870: 961	1919	3, 8, 15, 17, 19, 34, 36, 65, 79, 81
Anochetus isolatus	Mann, 1919: 302	1919	3, 8, 17, 19, 34, 37, 65, 79, 81
Cryptopone butteli	Forel, 1913: 9	1965	81
Cryptopone crassicornis	(Emery, 1897): 533	1965	81
Cryptopone fusciceps	(Emery, 1900): 321	1919	3, 4, 8, 14, 17, 81
Cryptopone testacea	(Emery, 1893): cclxxv	1919	3, 4, 8, 14, 17, 32, 81
Hypoponera biroi	(Emery, 1900): 7	1959	17, 34
Hypoponera confinis	(Roger, 1860): 284	1959	17
Hypoponera pallidula	(Emery, 1900): 320	1919	3, 8, 9
Hypoponera papuana	(Emery, 1900): 319	1919	3, 8, 79
Hypoponera pruinosa	(Emery, 1900): 319	1919	3, 8, 9, 14, 17, 34, 79
Hypoponera punctatissima*	(Roger, 1859): 246	1976	34, 79
Hypoponera ragusai*	(Forel, 1899): 28	1919	3, 8, 14, 17, 36
Hypoponera sororcula	(Wilson, 1958a): 338	1958	14, 17
Leptogenys diminuta	(Smith, F. 1857): 69	1919	3, 8, 17, 79
Leptogenys foreli	Mann, 1919: 297	1919	3, 8, 13, 17, 1810, 3410
Leptogenys oresbia	Wilson, 1958b: 131	1958	311, 13, 17
Leptogenys truncata	Mann, 1919: 26	1919	3, 17
Odontomachus malignus	Smith, F. 1859: 144	1919	3, 17, 1812, 19, 33, 3412, 63, 81
Odontomachus rufithorax	Emery, 1911: 534	1919	3, 17, 19, 33, 81
Odontomachus saevissimus	(Smith, F. 1858)	1959	15, 33, 81
Odontomachus simillimus	(Smith, F. 1858): 80	1910	113, 314, 614, 814, 1514, 17, 18, 19, 26, 34, 36, 79, 81
Pachycondyla acuta	Emery, 1900	1958	14, 17
Pachycondyla aequalis	(Mann, 1919): 289	1919	3, 8, 14, 17, 79
Pachycondyla croceicornis	(Emery, 1900): 315	1919	3, 14, 17, 36, 79
Pachycondyla darwinii	(Forel, 1893): 460	1959	17
Pachycondyla exarata	Emery, 1901b: 156	1919	3, 8
Pachycondyla manni	(Viehmeyer, 1924): 228	1924	71, 14, 17
Pachycondyla melancholica	Smith, F. 1865: 71	1919	3
Pachycondyla papuana	(Viehmeyer, 1914): 608	1919	3, 9
Pachycondyla sheldoni	(Mann, 1919): 292	1919	3, 8, 14, 17
Pachycondyla stigma*	(Fabricius, 1804): 400	1919	3, 8, 9, 15, 17, 18, 34, 79
Platythyrea parallela	(Smith, F., 1859): 143	1919	3, 9, 17
Ponera clavicornis	Emery, 1900: 317	1919	3, 8, 10, 25, 3415, 81
Ponera incerta	(Wheeler, W.M. 1933): 18	1959	17, 25, 81
Ponera swezeyi	(Wheeler, W.M. 1933): 16	2009	79
Ponera szaboi	Wilson, 1957: 371	1976	34
Ponera tenuis	(Emery, 1900): 321	1965	81
Proceratiinae
Discothyrea clavicornis	Emery, 1897b: 593	1919	3, 8, 9, 17, 81
Probolomyrmex salomonis	Taylor, 1965: 358	1965	23, 66, 81
Proceratium austronesicum	De Andrade, in Baroni Urbani and De Andrade 2003: 313	2003	50, 81
Proceratium papuanum	Emery, 1897b: 592	2003	50, 81
Pseudomyrmecinae
Tetraponera laeviceps	(Smith, F. 1859): 145	1919	3, 8, 49

Taxon	Notes	Year	Reference
Adelomyrmex sp. BP02	nr. hirsutus	2008	79
Adelomyrmex sp. BP03	as “Adelomyrmex (Arctomyrmex) sp.”	1976	34
Arnoldius sp. BP01	as “nr. flavus”	1959	15
Camponotus sp. BP02	nr. guppyi	2008	79
Camponotus sp. BP05	nr. elysii	2008	79
Camponotus sp. BP06	as “Camponotus (Colobopsis) sp. A”	1976	34
Camponotus sp. BP07	as “Camponotus (Colobopsis) sp. B”	1976	34
Camponotus sp. BP08	as “Camponotus (Colobopsis) sp. C”	1976	34
Camponotus sp. BP09	as “Camponotus (Colobopsis) spp. (2)”	1959	18,34
Camponotus sp. BP10	as “Camponotus (Colobopsis) spp. (2)”	1959	18,34
Cerapachys sp. BP01	as “Cerapachys? (Syscia) sp. 1”	1959	18,34
Colobostruma sp. BP01	nr. foliacea	2008	79
Cryptopone sp. BP01	nr. testacea	2008	79
Myopias sp. BP01		2008	79
Myopias sp. BP02		2008	79
Myopias sp. BP03		2008	79
Myopias sp. BP04	as “Myopias cf. tenuis”	1983	39
Myrmecina sp. BP01		2008	79
Myrmecina sp. BP03		2008	79
Pheidole sp. BP02		2008	79
Pheidole sp. BP12	nr. mendanai	2008	79
Pheidole sp. BP13	as “Pheidole (Pheidolacanthinus) sp.”	1976	34
Platythyrea sp. BP01	as “Platythyrea sp.”	1976	34
Polyrhachis sp. BP01	Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) nr. bismarckensis	2008	79
Polyrhachis sp. BP03	as “Polyrhachis (Chariomyrma) sp.”	1976	34
Rogeria sp. BP01	nr. stigmatica	2008	79
Strumigenys sp. BP05	nr. mocsaryi	2008	79
Vollenhovia sp. BP01	nr. elysii	2008	79
Vollenhovia sp. BP02	nr. loboii	2008	79
Vollenhovia sp. BP03	as “Vollenhovia sp.”	1976	34

Taxon	Anuta	Bellona	Choiseul	Guadalcanal	Kolombangara	Makira	Malaita	Malaupaina	Matema	Mbanika	New Georgia	NEW GEORGIA IS.	NGGELA IS.	Nggela Sule	Nupani	OLU MALAU IS.	Ontong Java Is.	Owaraha	REEF IS.	Rendova	Rennell	Russell Is.	San Jorge	Santa Catalina	Santa Cruz	SANTA CRUZ IS.	Santa Isabel	Savo	Shortland	Sikaiana	Tikopia	Tulagi	Ugi	Vangunu	Vanikoro	Vella Lavella	SOLOMON IS.	Total
Acropyga
Acropyga acutiventris				x		x	x					x								x							x						x					7
Acropyga lauta				x	x	x	x					x	x														x											7
Acropyga oceanica						x																																1
Acropyga pallida					x																																	1
Adelomyrmex
Adelomyrmex sp. BP02*						x																																1
Adelomyrmex sp. BP03*		x																			x																	2
Amblyopone
Amblyopone australis				x			x					x																									x	3
Anochetus
Anochetus cato						x	x	x				x	x	x		x				x							x					x	x				x	11
Anochetus graeffei		x		x		x	x				x	x	x	x							x				x	x	x					x					x	13
Anochetus isolatus			x	x		x		x								x					x				x	x											x	8
Anonychomyrma
Anonychomyrma dimorpha						x	x																				x										x	3
Anoplolepis
Anoplolepis gracilipes		x	x	x	x	x	x		x			x	x		x				x		x	x		x	x	x	x	x										18
Arnoldius
Arnoldius sp. BP01				x																																		1
Arnoldius pusillus				x																																		1
Brachymyrmex																																						0
Brachymyrmex obscurior		x				x															x																	3
Camponotus
Camponotus bedoti	x	x		x			x				x	x	x	x	x			x		x	x	x		x	x	x						x						17
Camponotus chloroticus				x														x																				2
Camponotus elysii						x		x								x																						3
Camponotus guppyi							x																															1
Camponotus loa						x	x	x					x			x		x							x	x						x	x					10
Camponotus loa belli													x	x																								2
Camponotus novaehollandiae						x																			x	x	x											4
Camponotus sp. BP01						x																																1
Camponotus sp. BP02*						x																																1
Camponotus sp. BP04						x																																1
Camponotus sp. BP05*						x																																1
Camponotus sp. BP06*																					x																	1
Camponotus sp. BP07*																					x																	1
Camponotus sp. BP08*		x																			x																	2
Camponotus sp. BP09*																					x																	1
Camponotus sp. BP10*																					x																	1
Cardiocondyla
Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi						x																																1
Cardiocondyla nivalis				x		x				x		x								x	x							x								x		8
Cardiocondyla nuda				x			x														x			x			x											5
Carebara
Carebara atoma		x		x		x															x						x											5
Carebara viehmeyeri						x																																1
Cerapachys
Cerapachys inconspicuus																					x						x										x	2
Cerapachys pawa																																	x				x	1
Cerapachys terricola						x							x	x		x											x					x					x	6
Cerapachys sp. BP01*																					x																	1
Colobostruma
Colobostruma foliacea			x	x								x								x		x					x											6
Colobostruma sp. BP01*						x																																1
Crematogaster
Crematogaster abrupta				x				x								x																						3
Crematogaster elysii								x								x																						2
Crematogaster foxi						x																																1
Crematogaster nesiotis																						x																1
Crematogaster obnigra				x																		x																2
Crematogaster scita				x																																		1
Crematogaster wheeleri							x																															1
Cryptopone
Cryptopone butteli				x																																		1
Cryptopone crassicornis				x																																		1
Cryptopone fusciceps				x		x	x					x															x										x	5
Cryptopone testacea		x		x	x	x						x									x						x						x				x	8
Cryptopone sp. BP01*						x																																1
Dilobocondyla
Dilobocondyla sp. BP01																					x																	1
Discothyrea
Discothyrea clavicornis				x		x	x													x		x	x				x		x								x	8
Eurhopalothrix
Eurhopalothrix brevicornis				x								x	x	x													x									x		5
Eurhopalothrix greensladei				x																																		1
Eurhopalothrix isabellae				x								x															x									x		4
Eurhopalothrix procera				x		x	x	x				x	x	x		x				x					x	x	x	x				x						14
Gnamptogenys
Gnamptogenys albiclava				x																							x										x	2
Gnamptogenys crenaticeps						x																					x										x	2
Gnamptogenys lucida							x																														x	1
Gnamptogenys malaensis					x	x	x				x	x										x												x		x	x	8
Gnamptogenys preciosa				x																																		1
Gnamptogenys solomonensis				x	x							x																										3
Gnamptogenys sp. BP03						x																																1
Hypoponera
Hypoponera biroi																					x																x	1
Hypoponera confinis																																					x	0
Hypoponera pallidula							x																				x										x	2
Hypoponera papuana						x		x								x											x						x				x	5
Hypoponera pruinosa		x				x	x	x					x	x		x					x						x					x	x				x	11
Hypoponera punctatissima						x															x																	2
Hypoponera ragusai				x		x																															x	2
Hypoponera sororcula																																					x	0
Hypoponera sp. BP01						x																																1
Hypoponera sp. BP06						x																																1
Hypoponera sp. BP07						x																																1
Hypoponera sp. BP08						x																																1
Iridomyrmex
Iridomyrmex anceps				x	x		x		x		x	x					x		x			x					x	x										11
Iridomyrmex pallidus				x																																		1
Iridomyrmex rufoniger							x																															1
Leptogenys
Leptogenys diminuta						x		x								x																	x				x	4
Leptogenys foreli							x	x								x					x																x	4
Leptogenys oresbia								x																													x	1
Leptogenys truncata																									x	x											x	2
Lordomyrma
Lordomyrma epinotalis						x	x			x			x								x						x						x					7
Monomorium
Monomorium australicum		x		x		x															x												x					5
Monomorium destructor																					x																	1
Monomorium floricola		x		x		x					x	x	x								x											x						8
Monomorium pharaonis				x			x									x					x												x					5
Myopias
Myopias sp. BP01*						x																																1
Myopias sp. BP02*						x																																1
Myopias sp. BP03*						x																																1
Myopias sp. BP04*				x		x																																2
Myopopone
Myopopone castanea				x	x	x	x				x	x	x	x											x	x	x					x			x		x	13
Myrmecina
Myrmecina modesta						x		x								x					x				x	x	x						x					8
Myrmecina subarmata							x																															1
Myrmecina
Myrmecina transversa						x																																1
Myrmecina sp. BP01*						x																																1
Myrmecina sp. BP03*						x																																1
Nylanderia
Nylanderia bourbonica		x		x																	x																	3
Nylanderia braueri glabrior				x		x															x							x										4
Nylanderia dichroa			x	x	x	x	x					x	x							x								x										9
Nylanderia manni				x																																		1
Nylanderia bismarckensis						x															x						x											3
Nylanderia stigmatica				x	x	x	x	x								x																	x					7
Nylanderia vaga	x	x		x	x	x			x						x				x		x			x		x	x	x		x			x					15
Nylanderia vividula				x		x																											x					3
Ochetellus
Ochetellus glaber						x																																1
Odontomachus
Odontomachus malignus				x			x														x				x	x	x										x	6
Odontomachus rufithorax			x										x	x													x										x	4
Odontomachus saevissimus				x	x																																x	2
Odontomachus simillimus	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x			x	x	x	x	x	x		x		x	x			x	x	x	x			x	x	x	x	x		x	27
Oecophylla
Oecophylla subnitida				x		x	x	x					x	x		x		x				x					x	x				x	x					13
Opisthopsis																																						0
Opisthopsis manni				x		x	x	x								x						x																6
Pachycondyla
Pachycondyla acuta																x																					x	1
Pachycondyla aequalis						x	x						x	x																							x	4
Pachycondyla croceicornis				x		x																					x										x	3
Pachycondyla darwinii																																					x	0
Pachycondyla exarata													x														x					x						3
Pachycondyla manni						x																					x										x	2
Pachycondyla melancholica																									x													1
Pachycondyla papuana						x																					x										x	2
Pachycondyla sheldoni						x																															x	1
Pachycondyla stigma				x		x	x				x	x	x	x							x				x	x	x					x	x				x	13
Pachycondyla sp. BP01						x																																1
Paraparatrechina
Paraparatrechina minutula		x		x		x															x						x						x					6
Paratrechina
Paratrechina longicornis		x	x	x		x	x					x						x			x				x	x												10
Pheidole
Pheidole belli							x																															1
Pheidole erato																											x											1
Pheidole fuscula																											x											1
Pheidole isis																											x											1
Pheidole taki						x																																1
Pheidole megacephala	x			x			x		x								x		x		x					x											x	8
Pheidole mendanai																											x											1
Pheidole nindi				x		x															x												x					4
Pheidole oceanica		x		x		x	x	x								x					x				x	x	x						x					11
Pheidole philemon				x		x	x	x								x									x	x											x	7
Pheidole sexspinosa		x		x		x	x						x								x				x	x	x					x						10
Pheidole fuscescens													x	x																								2
Pheidole umbonata		x		x		x	x														x												x					6
Pheidole sp. BP02*						x																																1
Pheidole sp. BP09						x																																1
Pheidole sp. BP10						x																																1
Pheidole sp. BP11						x																																1
Pheidole sp. BP12*						x																																1
Pheidole sp. BP13*																					x																	1
Philidris
Philidris myrmecodiae		x		x		x	x						x	x		x		x			x				x	x	x						x					13
Plagiolepis
Plagiolepis alluaudi				x																																		1
Platythyrea
Platythyrea parallela																									x	x											x	2
Platythyrea sp. BP01*																					x																	1
Podomyrma
Podomyrma salomo							x						x	x																		x						4
Podomyrma woodfordi								x								x																						2
Polyrhachis
Polyrhachis andromache						x																																1
Polyrhachis annae		x		x		x		x	x							x			x		x				x	x												10
Polyrhachis acutinota				x																																		1
Polyrhachis argentea							x						x	x																							x	3
Polyrhachis brunneipes		x					x																															1
Polyrhachis campbelli						x																x																2
Polyrhachis dahlii				x		x	x	x					x	x		x																x					x	8
Polyrhachis emeryana							x																															1
Polyrhachis fulakora				x																							x											2
Polyrhachis geminata						x							x	x																								3
Polyrhachis greensladei				x																								x										2
Polyrhachis ithona									x										x																			2
Polyrhachis johnsoni								x				x				x				x																		4
Polyrhachis kaipi	x					x	x																			x												4
Polyrhachis litigiosa						x																					x											2
Polyrhachis malaensis							x																															1
Polyrhachis nofra						x																																1
Polyrhachis osae				x		x																											x				x	3
Polyrhachis pacifica				x																																		1
Polyrhachis rere	x			x																						x												3
Polyrhachis salomo				x			x															x															x	3
Polyrhachis santschii													x	x																								2
Polyrhachis setosa				x																																		1
Polyrhachis similis						x					x	x	x	x								x					x					x	x					9
Polyrhachis ugiensis						x										x																	x					3
Polyrhachis ulysses													x	x																		x					x	3
Polyrhachis undulata				x		x																																2
Polyrhachis wheeleri							x																				x											2
Polyrhachis sp. BP01						x																																1
Polyrhachis sp. BP03																					x																	1
Polyrhachis sp. BP04						x																																1
Ponera
Ponera clavicornis			x	x		x	x					x	x	x					x	x	x						x	x										12
Ponera incerta				x		x						x	x												x	x	x										x	7
Ponera swezeyi						x																																1
Ponera szaboi		x																			x																	2
Ponera tenuis				x																																		1
Ponera sp. BP01						x																																1
Ponera sp. BP02						x																																1
Prionopelta
Prionopelta majuscula		x		x	x																																	3
Prionopelta opaca		x		x	x	x					x	x	x								x							x	x							x		11
Pristomyrmex
Pristomyrmex levigatus						x																			x	x												3
Pristomyrmex obesus				x		x	x	x			x	x				x									x	x	x											10
Probolomyrmex
Probolomyrmex salomonis				x		x																															x	2
Proceratium
Proceratium austronesicum						x																																1
Proceratium papuanum																			x			x			x	x												4
Rhytidoponera
Rhytidoponera araneoides				x		x	x					x	x	x						x							x					x	x				x	10
Rhytidoponera chalybaea				x																																		1
Rogeria
Rogeria megastigmatica				x		x																																2
Rogeria stigmatica		x																			x						x						x					4
Rogeria sp. BP01*						x																																1
Romblonella
Romblonella elysii								x					x	x		x		x																				5
Solenopsis
Solenopsis geminata				x																																		1
Solenopsis papuana						x																																1
Solenopsis pawaensis						x																					x						x					3
Stereomyrmex
Stereomyrmex dispar		x																																				1
Stigmatomma
Stigmatomma celata				x		x	x				x	x	x	x							x						x					x					x	10
Stigmatomma gnoma				x																																		1
Strumigenys
Strumigenys chyzeri				x	x	x	x				x	x															x						x			x		9
Strumigenys decollata																											x											1
Strumigenys emmae		x		x							x	x								x	x																	6
Strumigenys eurycera				x							x	x	x							x																		5
Strumigenys frivaldszkyi						x															x																	2
Strumigenys godeffroyi				x		x	x	x								x					x	x			x	x	x						x				x	11
Strumigenys karawajewi		x		x		x													x							x											x	5
Strumigenys membranifera				x		x																			x	x												4
Strumigenys mocsaryi				x								x	x																							x		4
Strumigenys rogeri				x																																		1
Strumigenys szalayi				x		x					x	x								x																		5
Strumigenys undras				x																																		1
Strumigenys yaleopleura			x								x	x															x							x				5
Strumigenys sp. BP05						x																																1
Strumigenys sp. BP06						x																																1
Tapinoma
Tapinoma melanocephalum	x		x	x		x	x						x								x	x				x												9
Tapinoma minutum																																					x	0
Tapinoma timidum				x																																		1
Technomyrmex
Technomyrmex albipes			x	x	x	x	x				x	x	x							x	x						x						x				x	12
Technomyrmex vitiensis				x		x																																2
Technomyrmex sp. BP01						x																																1
Tetramorium
Tetramorium antennatum																									x	x												2
Tetramorium aspersum						x	x				x	x										x	x				x											7
Tetramorium bicarinatum	x			x			x									x					x				x	x												7
Tetramorium carinatum						x	x	x					x	x		x						x					x					x						9
Tetramorium insolens		x				x	x	x								x																	x					6
Tetramorium lanuginosum																					x												x					2
Tetramorium mayri						x																																1
Tetramorium melanogyna						x		x								x																	x					4
Tetramorium mutatum							x																															1
Tetramorium pacificum		x																			x																	2
Tetramorium salomo				x		x	x																															3
Tetramorium simillimum				x		x											x				x																	4
Tetramorium tonganum				x		x						x								x	x																	5
Tetramorium vombis																																	x					1
Tetraponera
Tetraponera laeviceps				x									x														x											3
Turneria
Turneria dahlii		x		x			x														x																	4
Turneria pacifica						x																			x	x												3
Vollenhovia
Vollenhovia dentata						x																											x				x	2
Vollenhovia marginata							x																										x				x	2
Vollenhovia elysii								x								x																					x	2
Vollenhovia foveaceps																											x										x	1
Vollenhovia loboii							x																														x	1
Vollenhovia oblonga						x	x														x				x	x	x											6
Vollenhovia pedestris				x		x	x											x							x	x	x											7
Vollenhovia subtilis						x	x																															2
Vollenhovia sp. BP01*						x																																1
Vollenhovia sp. BP02*						x																																1
Vollenhovia sp. BP03*																					x																	1
Wasmannia
Wasmannia auropunctata						x																																1
Total	8	32	11	107	17	142	71	29	7	2	18	40	43	28	4	35	4	8	10	16	66	18	2	4	32	37	68	12	2	1	1	21	38	3	2	7	60	217