First Outdoor Continental Record of Plagiolepis alluaudi Emery, 1894 in Europe

Abstract

Plagiolepis alluaudi is a small, yellow, tropical tramp ant species that is rapidly spreading worldwide. In Europe, this species has primarily been reported in indoor environments, with outdoor populations previously found only in the Canary Islands (Spain). This study presents the first documented occurrence of P. alluaudi in outdoor continental Europe, with seemingly established populations discovered in Nerja (Malaga), a coastal town in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, characterized by mild environmental conditions associated to a subtropical climate. Given trends observed in other tropical species introduced into the Iberian Peninsula, additional populations of this species may be discovered in the coming years.