Ant assemblages (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and spatial patterns of diversity along Cerrado remnants in Central-West Brazil.

Abstract

Ants are a diverse and ecologically important group of social insects, playing a key role in ecosystem functioning. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of their distribution across the Brazilian biomes. In this study, we surveyed four sites within a poorly sampled region of the Cerrado, located between Mato Grosso (MT) and Goiás (GO) states in Brazil. Using attractive baits for ants foraging on the ground and in the vegetation, we conducted two rounds of sampling across 20 transects using 40 baits each, totaling 1,600 baits. We recorded 133 ant species from 34 genera and 8 subfamilies. Myrmicinae and Formicinae showed the highest species richness. The five most frequent species were from the genera Camponotus and Pheidole. Notably, 12 species are officially new records for MT and GO, including two rare species for Cerrado's myrmecofauna. Species richness per site ranged from 59 to 80 species, with the lowest richness occurring where all sampling comprised only savanna habitat, while sites harboring savanna and forest habitats yielded higher species counts, suggesting that vegetation heterogeneity promotes ant diversity. We also recorded more species on the ground (118) than in the vegetation (78). There were marked differences in richness and composition between strata, highlighting the vertical stratification of ant communities. These findings improve our understanding of ant diversity, but additional surveys are needed to better characterize the myrmecofauna across this region of the Cerrado. Furthermore, we encourage biologists to share their consultancy species lists, which could help to fill many knowledge gaps existing about Brazilian biodiversity.