Estudo de Formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de Serapilheira em Áreas de Floresta Primária da Estação Científica Ferreira Penna (ECFPn), Caxiuanã, Melgaço, Pará, no Início da Estação Chuvosa

Abstract

The diversity of ants has been studied to understand environmental changes (anthropogenic or not), since they respond very well to environmental stresses, have wide distribution, abundance and high species richness. Thus, inventories of the myrmecofauna of the burlap are very relevant to the knowledge of Amazonian ecosystems. This study aimed to understand the composition and diversity of the myrmecofauna in primary forests of the Ferreira Penna Scientific Station during the rainy season (January) 2004. The collection was carried out in 16 transects of 100 m (containing 10 points, 10 m apart), in four areas of 1-km forests, totaling 160 samples. At each point a 1m2 sample of litter was removed and sieved and exposed for 48 hours in Winkler extractors, to obtain the existing invertebrates. The data were analyzed using Biodiversity Pro (ver. Beta 1) and BioEstat ver. 4.0. A total of 17951 ants, belonging to seven subfamilies (Dolichoderinae, Ecit o ni nae, Ectatornrninae, Formicinae, Myrmicinae, Ponerinae and Proceratiinae) and 40 genera, were collected. A total of 1889 occurrences were recorded; with the highest representativeness and richness of genera (=27) in the subfamily M yrmicinae (86.59%). The highest genus richness occurred in area I (=35) and the lowest in area IV (=29). The most frequent genera were Pheidole (378), Solenopsis (242), Octostruma (150), H ypoponera (143), Strumigenys (13 7), Pyramica and Crematogaster (136). The highest similarity occurred between areas II and IV (91.53), and the lowest was between areas I and II (80). Area I, where there was the highest number of occurrences (29.4%), also has the highest alpha diversity (=6.08). According to the Jack-knife 1 richness estimator, the number of genera can reach 46. The genera Cryptomyrmex, Ectatomma, Mycetagroicus, Pogonomyrmex and Rhopalothrix occurred exclusively in area I, Labidus in area II, Ochetomyrmex in area III and Leptogenys in area IV. The results show the need for further studies on Amazonian myrmecofauna, which can contribute to the establishment of programs on management and conservation of Amazonian biodiversity.