Diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in mangrove forest of Pariaman

Abstract

Ants are a social insect with high diversity and distributed widely to the world in many types of habitats including mangrove ecosystem. They also plays important role in mangrove ecosystem, but the study of ant in this habitat of West Sumatra still scanty. The purpose of this study was to understand the ant diversity in mangrove ecosystem of Pariaman, West Sumatra. The collection method used in this research is baited trap, beating and hand collection. A total of 11 species, 10 genera of ants belonging to 3 subfamilies were found in this study. Formicinae is the subfamily with highest number of species (5 spp.) and follows by Myrmicinae (4 spp.) and Dolichoderinae (2 spp.). The following invasive and tramp species were found in the present study, Anoplolepis gracilipes, Tapinoma melanochepalum, Tetramorium simillimum, and Tetramorium bicarinatum. The ant species diversity index in this study is moderate (H '= 1,2), while the evenness index classified as moderate (E = 0,5), and no species of ants dominate of this area were found (D = 0,5)