Clyde Skillin, FCLC 2026

Major: Natural Science

Bio: Clyde Skillin is a senior at Fordham University pursuing a B.S in Natural science and a minor in Environmental Science. Clyde’s passion for the sciences has led him to acquire research experience through ecology labs at Fordham, as well as a biomedical research internship at Augusta university. When not at school, Clyde can be found working at the Brooklyn Public Library, or biking throughout his hometown of Brooklyn. After graduation Clyde plans on pursuing PA school and obtaining his MSPA.

Title of Research: Racing the Manhattant Across Europe

Mentor: Ellen Van. Wilgenburg, Natural Science

Abstract: Lasius Emarginatus commonly known as the ManhattAnt, is an invasive species to New York City first identified in 2011. Since its introduction to the city, the ant has spread at an impressive rate throughout the city, and now continues outwards to surrounding states and counties. Previous research at Fordham found the ManhattAnt to have a much greater running speed than local ant species, which may explain the ants success. Ant speed is closely tied to temperature, and so it is possible that Manhattants are better adapted to the city's surfaces and temperatures than its competitors. Our study seeked to determine whether ManhattAnts in their native European ranges show a high running speed similar to the ManhattAnts in New York. Comparing running speeds in the native and invasive ranges allows us to evaluate whether ManhattAnts are pre-adaptated to the hotter temperatures found in urban areas, or whether this species evolved a higher running speed upon introduction into New York City. For our research we located ManhattAnts throughout major urban centers in Europe including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. Running speed was determined by recording ants running past a standardized plastic card. This recording was used to calculate the ants running speed alongside ambient temperature. We found that ManhattAnts in New York showed a stronger temperature response than the same species in Europe. New York ManhattAnt would increase their speed 1.74mm for every ℃, while European ManhattAnts only increased by 0.48mm for every ℃. This implies that the Manhattants temperature response was likely selected upon their introduction to New York, and contributed significantly to their invasion success.