Ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in urban centers of the Alto Tietê, São Paulo, Brazil

Catarina De Bortoli Munhae,Maria Santina De Castro Morini,Cintia Mitsue Kamura,Débora Rodrigues De Souza-Campana

doi:10.1590/1808-1657000092013

Catarina De Bortoli Munhae, Maria Santina De Castro Morini + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1808-1657000092013

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Abstract

The Alto Tietê municipalities have rich remnants of Dense Rain Forest in their vicinities. Considering the environmental importance of the Alto Tietê as water source and that of ants as components of tropical biodiversity, this paper aimed at describing the diversity, composition and similarity of the ant fauna in urban centers of different cities. Samples were collected in houses and city squares. Seven subfamilies and 87 species were recorded, of which 39% are commonly found in the Atlantic Forest remnants adjacent to the cities. Linepithema neotropicum is dominant in areas outside the houses and in squares. In each municipality, in the area inside the houses, there is a dominant species. Tapinoma melanocephalumwas recorded preferably in the area inside the houses. Five exotic species were recorded mainly in the city of Mogi das Cruzes, SP, Brazil.

Highlights

The Alto Tietê municipalities have rich remnants of Dense Rain Forest in their vicinities
Considering (1) the environmental role played by the Alto Tietê region, since 64% of its territory are inserted in remnants of Dense Rain Forest and their municipalities are part of the Reserva da Biosfera do Cinturão Verde of São Paulo city (Pagani, 2012), and (2) the ants as an important component of the tropical biodiversity, this study aimed at describing the diversity, composition and similarity of the ants among different urban centers
Species recorded in squares or areas outside the houses, such as Gnamptogenys reichenspergeri Santschi, Labidus coecus Latreille, Myrmelachista catharinae Mayr, M. ruszkii Forel, Hypoponera spp. and Strumygenys spp., are common in the Atlantic Forest remnants of the municipalities here studied (Morini et al, 2012)

Summary

Introduction

The Alto Tietê municipalities have rich remnants of Dense Rain Forest in their vicinities. Considering (1) the environmental role played by the Alto Tietê region, since 64% of its territory are inserted in remnants of Dense Rain Forest and their municipalities are part of the Reserva da Biosfera do Cinturão Verde of São Paulo city (Pagani, 2012), and (2) the ants as an important component of the tropical biodiversity, this study aimed at describing the diversity, composition and similarity of the ants among different urban centers. The material was separated into morphospecies, comparing the specimens with those from the Formicidae collection of Alto Tietê (University of Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo state).

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