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:''There is also a different genus of ant called "crazy ants", Paratrechina''. The yellow crazy ant ''(Anoplolepis gracilipes)'' is a species of ant, introduced accidentally to northern Australia and Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, that has caused ecological damage in both locations. It is colloquially called "crazy" because of its erratic movements when disturbed. Its long legs and antennae make it one of the largest invasive ant species in the world.〔(''Anoplolepis gracilipes''. ) Global Invasive Species Database. ISSG.〕 Like several other invasive ants, such as the red imported fire ant (''Solenopsis invicta''), the big-headed ant (''Pheidole megacephala''), the little fire ant (''Wasmannia auropunctata''), and the Argentine ant (''Linepithema humile''), this is a "tramp ant", a species that easily becomes established and dominant in new habitat due to traits such as aggression toward other ant species, little aggression toward members of its own species, efficient recruitment, and large colony size.〔Kirschenbaum, R. and J. K. Grace. (2008). (Agonistic responses of the tramp ants ''Anoplolepis gracilipes'', ''Pheidole megacephala'', ''Linepithema humile'', and ''Wasmannia auropunctata'' (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). ) ''Sociobiology'' 51(3), 673-84.〕 Also known as the long-legged ant or Maldive ant, it is on a list of "One Hundred of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species" formulated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).〔(One Hundred of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species. ) Global Invasive Species Database. Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG), IUCN Species Survival Commission.〕 It has invaded ecosystems from Hawaii to Seychelles, and formed supercolonies on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. ==Physiology== ''Anoplolepis gracilipes'' is a relatively large, yellow to orange ant with long legs, large eyes and extremely long antennal scapes. Although ''A. gracilipes'' is the only invasive species in the genus ''Anoplolepis'', there are several other genera that it can be mistaken for. Both ''Leptomyrmex'' and ''Oecophylla'' can be confused with ''Anoplolepis'' because of their similar sizes and very long limbs. ''Anoplolepis'' can be distinguished from ''Leptomyrmex'' by the presence of an acidopore. ''Anoplolepis'' can be distinguished from ''Oecophylla'' by the more compact petiole. Although both of these genera occur in the Pacific, neither contain any invasive species. Several species of invasive ants belonging to the genera ''Camponotus'' and ''Paratrechina'' can appear similar to ''A. gracilipes''. Although several invasive species of ''Pheidole'' can also be slender-bodied with long legs and long antennal scapes, they can be separated from ''A. gracilipes'' by their two-segmented waists. ''A. gracilipes'' is widespread across the tropics, and populations are especially dense in the Pacific region. The species is most infamous for causing the ecological "meltdown" of Christmas Island.〔O'Dowd, D. J., et al. (2003). (Invasional ‘meltdown’ on an oceanic island. ) ''Ecology Letters'' 6(9), 812-17.〕 Although widespread across the Pacific, ''A. gracilipes'' can cause significant damage to native biological diversity, and strong quarantine measures are encouraged to keep it from spreading to new localities. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Yellow crazy ant」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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