Zoogeography of the Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Southeastern Iberian Peninsula

Gonzalo G Barberá,Chema Catarineu,Joaquín Luis Reyes-López

doi:10.13102/sociobiology.v65i3.2822

Gonzalo G Barberá, Chema Catarineu + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v65i3.2822

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Abstract

The work submitted in this paper presents the first checklist of the ant species of the Segura River Basin based on a review of specific literature and biological material collected during field work conducted from 2012 to 2017. Our findings recorded 110 species belonging to 30 genera of ants and twenty two of these species were recorded for the first time in this area. The zoogeographical composition is dominated by the species of the Mediterranean zone (75.2%), followed by the mixed and deciduous forest zone (19.1%). The most important zoogeographic elements are: Iberian (20%), Holomediterranean (17.1%) and West-Mediterranean (13.3%). There are only six cosmopolitan species (5.71%). There is a greater proportion of species from the mixed and deciduous forest zone in the high-mid altitudes in the Segura River Basin, where the climate is cooler, and more humid. The Euro-Caucasian and Euro-West Siberian elements seems to be more associated to the more humid forest, whilst the Euro-Caucasian elements seem to be more associated to ecosystems more similar to the forest-steppe zone. The existence of these different zoogeographic origins in this area is probably linked with: the position between Africa and Europe; the complex geotectonic, paleogeographic, and paleoclimatic history during the last 7 My; the complex geomorphology; and the high climate and habitat diversity. Based on ant studies and other taxa, possible explanations of the zoogeographic origin of these ant chorotypes are proposed.

Highlights

The Mediterranean Basin, including the Iberian Peninsula, is one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the world, with a high level of endemism (Médail & Quézel, 1997; Myers et al, 2000; Gómez & Lunt, 2007; Hewitt, 2011)
The main objectives of this paper are: 1) to compile a checklist of ant species in the Segura River Basin based on a review of the literature and material collected during sampling conducted from 2012 to 2016; 2) to classify the ant species of the Segura River Basin into zoogeographic chorotypes; 3) to analyze if zoogeographic chorotypes are related to climatic gradients in the Segura River Basin
There are only two records of L. niger for the Segura River Basin (Collingwood & Yarrow, 1969; Martínez et al, 2002), and these records possibly correspond to Lasius grandis Forel, because the first record was before Seifert (1992) raised L. grandis to species, and the second was based on one queen only

Summary

Introduction

The Mediterranean Basin, including the Iberian Peninsula, is one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the world, with a high level of endemism (Médail & Quézel, 1997; Myers et al, 2000; Gómez & Lunt, 2007; Hewitt, 2011). The Segura River Basin, is located in the central sector of southeastern Iberian Peninsula (Fig 1) and is representative of the environmental diversity of the area. It is framed in the western border by the Baetic ranges, a result of the convergence between the African and Iberian plates. The Segura River Basin (19,025 km2) has large orographic variety, with mountains that reach up to 2,000 m.a.s.l., as well as contrasting coastal areas and extensive plains and valleys (Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura, 2017)

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