Ants of New Zealand

Résumé du livre

This book is the outcome of a lifetimes research by the author. He reveals that there are 37 established species of ants in New Zealand, 11 of which are considered to be endemic. This leaves 26 that are exotic or introduced, 2 of which are recent arrivals. Three of 4 additional recent arrivals pose serious threats to New Zealands invertebrate fauna and economy if they ever become established. New Zealands endemic ant fauna comprises a mixture of primitive and advanced species. Like spiders, ants can tell us something about New Zealands Gondwanan past. Questions about the identification of ants are frequently fielded by museums. The illustrations and photographs in this volume will greatly assist this task. For would-be students of ants, there is also a useful chapter on collecting and studying the fauna. Warwick Don is an honorary curator in entomology, Otago Museum, having retired from the Department of Zoology, University of Otago.