Estudo do Gênero Dolichoderus Lund, 1831 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), na Estação Científica Ferreira Penna (ECFPn), Caxiuanã, Melgaço, Pará

Abstract

Ants of the genus Dolichoderus are very common in the Americas and can be found nesting in a variety of habitats, ranging from tree tops to residences. MacKay (1993) synonymized Monacis and Hipoclinea as Dolichoderus based on morphological characters.The present work aimed to inventory and describe the species collected from the Ferreira Penna Scientific Station in order to provide subsidies for other studies and future management and conservation programs. The study was conducted in seven areas of primary forest of the Caxiuanã National Forest, using the following methods: manual collections (based on observation and capture of specimens and nests), pitfall traps (consisting of plastic cups buried in the ground containing 75% alcohol) and Winkler extractors (removal of 1m2 of burlap, which after being sieved for one minute, is exposed in a natural environment for 48 hours to obtain invertebrates). A total of 535 individuals were collected in 111 samples, distributed among nine species. The species Dolichoderus attelaboides and D. bispinosus were the only ones collected by the three collection methods. D. gagates was collected only in Winkler; D. decollatus, D. bidens, and D. septemspinosus, only in manual collection; D. imitator and D. lutosus, were found in both Winkler and Pitifall traps; and a new species, named Dolichoderus próx. inpai, was found in manual collection and in Winkler. We observed the nest types of D. septemspinosus and D. bispinosus and also corroborated Mackay's (1993) statements regarding D. septemspinosus.