Estado da arte sobre a taxonomia e filogenia de Ponerinae do Brasil

Abstract

The subfamily Proceratiinae comprises 3 ant genera in 2 tribes: Discothyrea & Proceratium in the Proceratiini, & Probolomyrmex as the only member of the Probolomyrmecini. The subfamily is present in all regions of the world, especially in the tropics, where most of its 140 species occur. In the New World, Proceratiinae contains around 40 species distributed from S Canada to Argentina. In Brazil, the 3 genera of the subfamily are represented by only 6 species; 3 species of Probolomyrmex, 2 of Discothyrea, & a single species of Proceratium. Proceratiinae can be morphologically recognized by the following combination of characters: size relatively small; antennal insertions totally or partially exposed; eyes strongly reduced to absent; promesonotal suture fused or absent; tarsal claws of forelegs simple, never pectinate nor possessing preapical projections; petiole without laterotergites; & jugal lobe absent in the forewings. Although the position of Proceratiinae within the poneroid subfamilies is relatively well established, a phylogenetic study to investigate the internal relations of the subfamily has never been proposed. Molecular studies that have included proceratiine species as terminals seem to indicate a basal position for the genus Discothyrea, which represents the sister group of a clade formed by Probolomyrmex + Proceratium. The subfamily is relatively poorly represented in ant collections. This is due the fact that individuals are rarely captured by traditional collecting techniques. The Winkler apparatus has proved to be the most efficient method to collect specimens of Proceratiinae, although the number of individuals in the samples is always very low. This apparent rarity is mostly due the cryptic habits of the species & the relatively low size of colonies, which rarely reach 100 individuals. Nests are often found in cavities in the forest floor, in the interstices of the leaf litter, decaying logs, & under stones. Regarding the diet, the few observations made thus far suggest a preference of these ants to prey upon eggs of small soil arthropods, particularly arachnids. Virtually nothing is known about the foraging systems & the reproductive strategies of most proceratiine species.]