Thaumatomyrmex Mayr, 1887 (Ponerinae, Ponerini)

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Thaumatomyrmex Mayr, 1887 (Ponerinae, Ponerini) 22 - Estudos biogeográficos sobre o gênero Thaumatomyrmex Mayr, 1887 (Ponerinae, Ponerini) Benoit Jahyny Hilda Susele Rodrigues Alves Dominique Fresneau Jacques H. C. Delabie SciELO Books / SciELO Livros / SciELO Libros JAHYNY, B., et al. Estudos biogeográficos sobre o gênero Thaumatomyrmex Mayr, 1887 (Ponerinae, Ponerini). In: DELABIE, JHC., et al., orgs. As formigas poneromorfas do Brasil [online]. Ilhéus, BA: Editus, 2015, pp. 327-343. ISBN 978-85-7455-441-9. Available from SciELO Books <http://books.scielo.org>. All the contents of this work, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Todo o conteúdo deste trabalho, exceto quando houver ressalva, é publicado sob a licença Creative Commons Atribição 4.0. Todo el contenido de esta obra, excepto donde se indique lo contrario, está bajo licencia de la licencia Creative Commons Reconocimento 4.0. 22 Estudos biogeográfi cos sobre o gênero Th aumatomyrmex Mayr, 1887 (Ponerinae, Ponerini) Benoit Jahyny, Hilda Susele Rodrigues Alves, Dominique Fresneau, Jacques H. C. Delabie Resumo O gênero Thaumatomyrmex é endêmico ampla, praticamente em toda a Região Neotro- da Região Neotropical e sua distribuição con- pical, entre os limites de 18°N (México) e 19°S tinental se estende desde o México até o Sul do (Brasil), desde o nível do mar a mais de 2.000 Brasil e ao norte da Argentina, com presença em metros de altitude; as espécies do grupo Mutila- várias ilhas do Caribe. Suas espécies vivem em tus têm uma distribuição limitada à America do ambientes variados como florestas úmidas tro- Sul (Brasil, Argentina e Paraguai), com ocorrên- picais, áreas periodicamente inundadas ou ainda cia desde o nível do mar até 1.000 m de altitu- ambientes secos, tais como Cerrado ou Caatin- de. Existem várias combinações de pares simpá- ga. Suas colônias, que possuem provavelmente tricos de espécies no gênero Th aumatomyrmex a menor população entre os membros da famí- e um habitat não parece comportar simultane- lia Formicidae, se instalam em cavidades natu- amente mais do que duas espécies do gênero. rais que ocorrem no solo, na serapilheira ou na As simpatrias conhecidas consistem sempre de base de árvores. Elas se alimentam de Penicilla- uma espécie grande e de outra menor e, prova- ta vivos (Myriapoda, Diplopoda), que são suas velmente por isso, permitem sempre a cada uma presas quase exclusivas. As operárias são dis- o acesso diferenciado aos recursos alimentares tintas das de outros Ponerinae principalmente e aos lugares de nidifi cação. A diferença de ta- pela sua morfologia cefálica característica. Suas manho é, muito provavelmente, um dos fatores mandíbulas são extremamente compridas, finas que permitem a coexistência das espécies, redu- e arqueadas, com três dentes compridos, afu- zindo a sobreposição de seus respectivos nichos. nilados, pontudos e recurvados. Para o estudo A casta “gine” foi descrita apenas recentemente e biogeográfico, nos referimos ao agrupamento gines de diversas espécies estão presentes em al- de espécies que Kempf definiu em 1975 a partir gumas coleções. Em espécies em que falta a casta de critérios morfológicos, os grupos Cochlearis, morfologicamente distinta da gine, a reprodução Ferox e Mutilatus. As espécies do grupo Cochle- ocorre por meio de gamergates. Atualmente são aris vivem nas ilhas das Grandes Antilhas; as conhecidas menos de uma dúzia de espécimes de espécies do grupo Ferox têm a distribuição mais gines de poucas espécies de Th aumatomyrmex, JAHYNY, Benoit; ALVES, Hilda Susele Rodrigues; FRESNEAU, Dominique; DELABIE; Jacques H. C. Estudos biogeográfi cos sobre o gênero Th aumatomyrmex Mayr, 1887 (Ponerinae, Ponerini). In: DELABIE, Jacques H. C. et al. As formigas poneromorfas do Brasil. Ilhéus: Editus, 2015. p. 327-343. Estudos biogeográfi cos sobre o gênero Th aumatomyrmex Mayr, 1887 (Ponerinae, Ponerini) | 327 PPoneromorfasoneromorfas ddoo BBrasil_miolo.inddrasil_miolo.indd 33227 113/01/20163/01/2016 111:51:331:51:33 todas pertencentes ao grupo Ferox, enquanto características muito peculiares de nidifi cação e nos demais grupos (Cochlearis e Mutilatus) e a alimentação com a baixa capacidade de disper- maioria dos táxons do grupo Ferox, as espécies são das espécies onde as fêmeas aladas não exis- se reproduzem através de gamergates ou inexiste tem, espera-se que as populações não respon- informação sobre a existência de gine. Essa situ- dam bem a mudanças climáticas, assim como ação e a ampla distribuição latitudinal do grupo a variações rápidas da qualidade de seu habitat. Ferox sugerem também que esse grupo (ou parte Th aumatomyrmex parece ser, assim, um modelo do mesmo) corresponde à linhagem mais basal ideal para abordar estudos sobre a estrutura da do gênero. Uma vez que essas formigas possuem biodiversidade neotropical e biomonitoramento. Abstract Biogeographic studies on the genus altitude; the species of the Mutilatus group have Th aumatomyrmex Mayr, 1887 (Ponerinae. their distribution limited to South America (Brazil, Ponerini) - Th e genus Th aumatomyrmex is Argentina and Paraguay), between 03°S and 29°S, an endemic of the Neotropical Region, with a occurring from sea level up to 1,000 m altitude. continental distribution that extends from Mexico Th ere are several combinations of sympatric to southern Brazil and northern Argentina, with species pairs within this genus but one particular an occurrence in several Caribbean islands. Its habitat does not seem to simultaneously support species live in several types of environment, such more than two species of the genus. Known as tropical rainforests, periodically fl ooded areas sympatries always consist of a large species and or dry environments, such as savanna or semi- another smaller one, which allows each of them arid vegetation. Th eir colonies, with probably the diff erential access to food resources and nesting smallest populations in the whole Formicidae places. Th e size diff erence is, in fact, one of the family, settle in natural cavities that occur in soil, factors that allow the species coexistence, reducing litter or at trees bases. Th ey feed on live Penicillata the overlap of their respective niches. Currently, (Myriapoda, Diplopoda), which are almost their less than a dozen specimens from a few species exclusive prey. Th e workers are distinct from of Th aumatomyrmex are known from gynes, all other Ponerinae, mainly due to their characteristic of which belong to the Ferox group. In the other cephalic morphology. Th eir jaws are extremely groups (Cochlearis and Mutilatus) and a majority long, thin and arched, with three long, tapered, of the taxa of the Ferox group, the species reproduce pointed and curved teeth. Th e gyne morphotype through gamergates or there is little information was recently described and gynes of several on the existence of gynes. Th is situation and the species are conserved in some collections. In wide latitudinal distribution of the Ferox group species lacking the morphologically distinct gyne, also suggest that this group (or part of) is the most reproduction occurs by means of gamergates. basal clade of the genus. Since these ants have For this biogeographic review, we refer to the very specifi c nesting and feeding characteristics, grouping of species that Kempf defi ned in 1975 together with a low dispersion capacity for the from morphological criteria, being the Cochlearis, species where winged females do not occur, it is Ferox and Mutilatus groups. Th e species of the expected that their populations would be severely Cochlearis group live in the islands of the Greater impacted by climate changes and rapid alterations Antilles; the species of the Ferox group have wider of their habitat quality. Th aumatomyrmex therefore distribution, occurring practically throughout the seems then to be an ideal model for studies on Neotropics, in the range of 18°N (Mexico) to 19°S the structure of Neotropical biodiversity and for (Brazil), from the sea level to over 2,000 meters biomonitoring. 328 | Benoit Jahyny, Hilda Susele Rodrigues Alves, Dominique Fresneau, Jacques H. C. Delabie PPoneromorfasoneromorfas ddoo BBrasil_miolo.inddrasil_miolo.indd 332828 113/01/20163/01/2016 111:51:341:51:34 Introdução recentemente (VAZQUEZ et al., 2010), apesar de sua existência ser conhecida há muito tempo (D.R. Th aumatomyrmex Mayr, 1887 (Ponerinae, SMITH, in litt., In: KEMPF, 1975) e de gines de vá- Ponerini) é um gênero endêmico da Região Ne- rias espécies estarem presentes em algumas cole- otropical, cuja distribuição continental se estende ções (B.J. obs. pess.). No entanto, a casta morfologi- desde o México até o Sul do Brasil e ao norte da camente distinta da gine é desconhecida na maioria Argentina, com presença em várias ilhas do Ca- das espécies de Th aumatomyrmex, nas quais a re- ribe (KEMPF 1975; BARONI URBANI; DE AN- produção ocorre por meio de operárias fecundadas DRADE, 2003; JAHYNY et al., 2008). Suas espé- (JAHYNY et al., 2002), chamadas “gamergates” sen- cies vivem desde o nível do mar até 2.000m de su Peeters; Crewe (1984). altitude e são encontradas em ambientes variados O desenvolvimento e o uso do extrator de como fl orestas úmidas tropicais, áreas periodica- Winkler como técnica de coleta de formigas per- mente inundadas ou ainda ambientes secos, tais mitiram a captura de uma quantidade razoável de como Cerrado ou Caatinga (JAHYNY et al., 2008, indivíduos de Th aumatomyrmex em diversas par- 2009). Este gênero de formiga de morfologia in- tes da Região Neotropical. Esta técnica de amos- comum (Figura 22.1) possui uma biologia muito tragem da fauna da serapilheira é agora ampla- peculiar (BRANDÃO et al., 1991; JAHYNY et al., mente utilizada em larga escala em toda a Região 2008, 2009). Suas colônias, que possuem provavel- Neotropical em estudos de ecologia de comuni- mente as menores populações entre os membros dades ou mesmo simplesmente para inventariar a da família Formicidae (Figura 22.2), se instalam fauna. Esta técnica é reconhecida como especial- em cavidades naturais como conchas de gastró- mente efi ciente para a captura das formigas da podes, cupinzeiros, ninhos de vespas em terra serapilheira (BESTELMEYER et al.
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