abstract: 'Ants are an abundant and diverse group with worldwide distribution.

  Given their omnipresence, ecosystem services, and potential

  applications, ants may be excellent models for multiple lines of

  research such as physiology. However, the focus and worldwide

  distribution of ant physiology research are unknown. Given the evidence

  of scientific colonialism in multiple scientific areas -where credit and

  reward are not given to local scientists from developing nations when

  scien-tist s from wealthier nations travel for research -we examined the

  potential for such trends in studies of ant physiology. We investigated

  the frequency of studies and collaborations across countries during 2015

  -2019, which simultaneously allowed us to estimate the most studied

  taxa. We found that the largest proportion of studies was done in Europe

  and North America. Collaboration trends were mainly among high-income

  countries. Nearly one third of the countries that served as sampling

  sites were not represented in authorship (mostly low-and middle-income).

  Furthermore, low-and middle-income countries show a lower proportion of

  authorship or co-authorship when these countries served as sampling

  sites, as compared with high-income countries. This disparity might

  indicate scientific colonialism in the field. However, collaborations

  between institutions from the sampling country and their foreign

  counterparts increased with the per capita Gross Domestic Product,

  suggesting a link between country''s participation in international

  collaboration and its economic prosperity. How publications are

  circulated may further influence trends in scientific colonialism. Both

  the probability that a study reaches the public sphere (Altmetric) and

  the number of citations increase with the impact factor (IF) of the

  journal in which the article was published. Unfortunately, high-IF

  journals often show the highest Article Processing Charges, which can be

  a financial impediment for institutions in low-and middle-income

  countries. Our study highlights factors that influence the process of

  research in this field. The evidence of scientific colonialism in ant

  physiology that we highlight in this study calls for urgent measures to

  promote more equitable collaborative efforts.'
affiliation: 'Galvez, D (Corresponding Author), Univ Panama, Programa Centroamer Maestria
  Entomol, Ciudad Univ,Apartado 3366, Panama City 4, Panama.

  Virola-V, Brenda Sofia; Abrego, Jeancarlos; Castillo, Dilma; Galvez, Dumas, Univ
  Panama, Programa Centroamer Maestria Entomol, Ciudad Univ,Apartado 3366, Panama
  City 4, Panama.

  Abrego, Jeancarlos; Galvez, Dumas, Sistema Nacl Invest, Edificio 205,Clayton Apartado
  0816, Panama City 02852, Panama.

  Bonilla, Eleodoro, Univ Panama, Escuela Biol, Ciudad Univ,Apartado 3366, Panama
  City 4, Panama.

  Galvez, Dumas, Smithsonian Trop Res Inst, POB 0843, Panama City 03092, Panama.

  Galvez, Dumas, Coiba Scienhf Stn, Calle Gustavo Lara,Bld 145B, Clayton, Vic 0843,
  Australia.'
author: Virola-V, Brenda Sofia and Abrego, Jeancarlos and Castillo, Dilma and Bonilla,
  Eleodoro and Galvez, Dumas
author-email: dumas.galvezs@up.ac.pa
author_list:
- family: Virola-V
  given: Brenda Sofia
- family: Abrego
  given: Jeancarlos
- family: Castillo
  given: Dilma
- family: Bonilla
  given: Eleodoro
- family: Galvez
  given: Dumas
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.25849/myrmecol.news\_032:115
files: []
issn: 1994-4136
journal: MYRMECOLOGICAL NEWS
keywords: 'Altmetric; ant physiology; Formicidae; global science; Hymenoptera;

  impact factor; parachute science; systematic review; scientific

  colonialism'
keywords-plus: 'HYMENOPTERA-FORMICIDAE; TEMPERATE; DIVERSITY; ABUNDANCE; JOURNALS;

  ECOLOGY'
language: English
number-of-cited-references: '81'
pages: 115-125
papis_id: 36ac823345c519e70e30cf46826116c2
ref: Virolav2022whois
researcherid-numbers: Gálvez, Dumas/GRY-0855-2022
times-cited: '0'
title: Who is working on ant physiology? There is room to improve international collaborations
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:000847188200001
usage-count-last-180-days: '4'
usage-count-since-2013: '7'
volume: '32'
web-of-science-categories: Entomology
year: '2022'