The state of Maranhão, located in northeastern Brazil, comprises three biomes: Amazonian, Caatinga, and the Cerrado. To date, 99 ant species have been recorded in the literature from the state. In the present work, we provide for the... more
The state of Maranhão, located in northeastern Brazil, comprises three biomes: Amazonian, Caatinga, and the Cerrado. To date, 99 ant species have been recorded in the literature from the state. In the present work, we provide for the first time a profile of the ant fauna in the state based on data from the historical literature and Brazilian institutional collections. The updated records on ant diversity for the state of Maranhão revealed a total of 279 species, belonging to 71 genera and 10 subfamilies. In total, 180 species are recorded for the first time in the state, of which four species recorded for the first time in Brazil. In summary, apart from documenting the ant fauna of the region, these results provide a basis for further studies and may contribute to future conservation efforts for the biomes present in this complex landscape.
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Pheidole comprises approximately 1,000 extant species distributed worldwide, being particularly diverse in the New World. In addition to its high diversity and ecological prevalence, the genus is also characterized by the predominantly... more
Pheidole comprises approximately 1,000 extant species distributed worldwide, being particularly diverse in the New World. In addition to its high diversity and ecological prevalence, the genus is also characterized by the predominantly intraspecific dimorphism, with major and minor workers. Currently, five fossil species are known, all of which are represented only by minor workers. A new species, †Pheidole anticua sp. nov., is described from Dominican amber, based on a major worker. Additionally, the identity of the currently known fossil species in Pheidole is discussed and †P. cordata from Baltic amber is considered as incertae sedis, resulting in no Pheidole species currently recognized for Baltic amber
Pheidole acutidens is a social parasite of the congeneric species P. nitidula. Since its description, the species was considered native to Argentina. In this paper we report the first records of P. acutidens for Brazil in the southern... more
Pheidole acutidens is a social parasite of the congeneric species P. nitidula. Since its description, the species was considered native to Argentina. In this paper we report the first records of P. acutidens for Brazil in the southern states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. These records extend the known distribution of the species at least 1,000 km to the north. We suggest that the scarce representation of this species in entomological collections is due to its peculiar reproductive strategy, which renders the species inconspicuous and limits its dispersion.