Ants (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the Floresta da Tijuca sector, Parque Nacional da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In the present study, we performed the first inventory of the mirmecofauna of the Floresta da Tijuca sector of the PNT, using pitfall traps and Winkler extractors in areas with three different degrees of preservation. In total, 80 species are recorded from Floresta da Tijuca, of which 18 are reported for the first time from this sector, 37 from the PNT, 10 from the State of Rio de Janeiro and one from the Atlantic Forest biome. These results increase the known diversity of ants of the PNT from 149 to 200 species. Furthermore, the known geographic distribution of <i>Hypoponeraviri</i> (Santschi, 1923) is extended northwards, those of <i>Holcoponeramina</i> Brown, 1956 and <i>Neocerapachysneotropicus</i> Weber, 1939, southwards and <i>Brachymyrmexbruchi</i> Forel, 1912 and <i>Hypoponeraparva</i> (Forel, 1909), eastwards. The most abundant species in our samples was <i>Holcoponeramoelleri</i> (Forel, 1912), followed by <i>Pachycondylastriata</i> F. Smith, 1858, <i>Strumigenysdenticulata</i> Mayr, 1887, <i>Hypoponeratrigona</i> (Mayr, 1887), <i>Megalomyrmexgoeldii</i> Forel, 1912 and <i>Hylomyrmareitteri</i> (Mayr, 1887). The primary forest area was the richest, followed by the disturbed and advanced restoration areas. The species richness was higher in the primary forest and advanced restoration areas during the dry season, while it was higher in the disturbed area during the rainy season.