Estrutura de comunidades de formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) do planalto do Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Abstract

This study aims to compare three sampling techniques to estimate species richness of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in “campos of altitude” at Itatiaia National Park, in Rio de Janeiro state. Compared richness estimates for genera and species, and curves of accumulation of species for sardine baits, pitfall traps and manual collecting are presented for two distinct sites ("steppe vegetation" [VE] and "rupicola vegetation" [VR]) in Itatiaia Plateau. The three techniques collected 31 species of 10 genera belonging to four subfamilies. In VE were registered 50% of genera and 36.4% of species collected exclusively by baits, and 20% and 50% by pitfall traps, respectively. In VR were registered 37.5% of genera and 47.61% of species exclusive for baits, but no one genus and species was restricted for manual collecting. In the case of “campos de altitude” and when only one technique can be used, the sardine bait was the most efficient sample technique to registered richness at VE. For VR, the manual collecting was the most appropriate technique to record species richness. However, the pitfalls (in VE) and bait (in VR) recorded an important portion of species richness. In our data, the manual collecting were associated with standardized data collecting protocols, and, although much criticized, have shown effectiveness in recording species in habitats where widespread techniques cannot be used. In spite of different physiognomies show differentiated efficiency for samples techniques, it is relevant to using more than one technique associated to a colleting protocol well structured to potentiated the record of the new species in environments as the “campos de altitude”.