Fire ants in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: from morphology to impact

• Grant number: 23/17547-4
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Applied Zoology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Santina de Castro Morini
• Grantee: Maria Santina de Castro Morini
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Acadêmica. Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes (UMC). Campus da Sede Mogi das Cruzes. Mogi das Cruzes , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Dietrich Gotzek ; Gabriela Procópio Camacho ; Otávio Guilherme Morais da Silva ; Victor Hideki Nagatani
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/02557-0 - Fire ants in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: formation of a molecular database, BP.TT; 24/06080-0 - Collection of fire ants from the Atlantic Forest Biome: gathering specimens is necessary, BP.TT; 24/03346-0 - Fire ants in the Atlantic Forest Biome: databases and images are needed, BP.TT; 24/04541-0 - Fire-ants ants in the Atlantic Forest Biome: spreading the word is necessary, BP.TT

Abstract

Solenopsis has 191 species and 22 subspecies distributed around the world, with South America having the greatest richness. Identifying the species is complex, mainly due to their monotonous morphology and varied coloration. In Brazil, especially S. invicta and S. saevissima, known as fire ants or foot-lava ants, are widely distributed and have many overlaps of occurrence, which makes it difficult to delimit these species in their natural habitats. Due to intense urbanization and the emergence of agricultural areas, the trend is for populations to increase, especially of S. invicta. This species is notorious for invading regions outside its natural domain, causing immense economic impacts. Little is known about this impact in Brazil, although fire ants have occurred throughout the Atlantic Forest, which is an extremely urbanized, industrialized biome with extensive agricultural areas. Furthermore, S. invicta does not occur naturally. In this project we intend to show the areas of occurrence of S. invicta and S. saevissima in the Atlantic Forest, based on specimens deposited in national biological collections. In addition, we will show the variation in cuticular color of S. saevissima in the different phytophysiognomies. Thus, visits to biological collections (e.g., MZSP, MPEG, UFPR, CPDC) will be made so that biological and distribution information can be retrieved. Based on this information, the Mapbiomas spectral library, which has records from the Atlantic Forest from 1985-2018, will be used to build distribution maps of the species over time. Each specimen of S. saevissima will be photographed and related to the phytophysiognomy. We hypothesize that S. invicta is advancing in the Atlantic Forest from its center of origin; and that the phytophysiognomies constitute a geographical barrier for S. saevissima. In addition, a questionnaire will be administered to farmers to find out the "status" of the impact these ants have on the agricultural system. In this case, our hypothesis is that the higher the number of fire ants recorded, the greater the damage reported by farmers. (AU)