Biologia da nidificação e arquitetura de ninhos de formigas poneromorfas do Brasil

Abstract

*[The poneromorph ants have a cosmopolitan distribution, with approximately 1,700 species included in 49 genera of 6 subfamilies. Ants of this group build relatively simple nests. In general, most of their nests are terricolous & may be constructed on the surface or underground. The typical poneromorph terricolous nests are underground, & have only one entrance hole with a vertical tunnel connected to horizontal chambers, which are generally excavated only a few meters deep. Poneromorphs also build superficial terricolous nests, & in this case they are commonly associated with roots, which may provide a more stable temperature & relative humidity inside the nest. The third kind of nest built by these ants, termed arboricolous, is structured in living or dead plant parts. Pachycondyla ants build their nests in natural cavities, dry branches, tree bark and roots, behind the petiole of palm trees, on dried fruit, on bromeliad roots, bamboo canes, & rotting tree trunks. A taxonomically important trait of the architectural model is the presence of differentiated structures around or on the entrance and exit hole. These structures are often unique to each species & can therefore be used to distinguish them. Some species of the genus Ectatomma build chimney-like structures on the nest entrance and/or exit, which may function to prevent water from entering the nest in rainy periods. Poneromorph nests, in general, do not have special-purpose chambers, although it has been reported that: some species of Ectatomma always use the deepest chambers in the ground to shelter juveniles; that P. striata separates the pupae from the other stages in different chambers; & that P. villosa shelters the last instar larvae & pupae in more-central leaves of bromeliads. Most of the nests of ants belonging to this group, especially the underground ones, are monodomic (i.e., they build their nest in only one nesting site). However, there are polydomic nests in which the colony divides itself across more than one site as a strategy to optimize food collection. Some species are associated with other arthropods, including other ant species & even with vertebrates sharing the same nest structure.]