Cardiocondyla wroughtonii Forel, 1890

Cardiocondyla wroughtonii is a small (~1.5 mm) nondescript, light-yellow to yellowish brown species with short antennal scapes and moderately sized propodeal spines, and without erect hairs on its mesosoma. The species is an accomplished tramp ant (Heinze et al., 2006)and has established populations across the world (Boer & Vierbergen, 2008; Rasplus et al., 2010; Seifert, 2003a; Ward, 2007), but it is not considered a pest or known to adversely affect native ecosystems. The restriction of the two non-tramp ants in the C. wroughtonii-group to India and Borneo suggest the native range of C. wroughtonii to be Southeast Asia. Cardiocondyla wroughtonii is polydomous, polygynous, and often founds new colonies by nest splitting (Debout et al., 2007; Seifert, 2003a). Typical colony sizes are less than 500 workers (King, 2004; Seifert, 2003a). Unlike most of its congeners which nest in the soil, C. wroughtonii and its close relative C. obscurior nest in vegetation above the surface (Deyrup et al., 2000; Lupo & Galil, 1985; Seifert, 2003a). The reproductive strategies and caste determination of the species has been extensively studied, especially with respect to ergatoid males (Cremer et al., 2008; Heinze & Delabie, 2005; Heinze & Hölldobler, 1993; Kinomura & Yamauchi, 1987; Schrempf et al., 2007; Stuart et al., 1987).