PANTANAL ANTS: ESTABLISHING A DATA SET OF ANT COMMUNITIES FROM THE BRAZILIAN WETLAND

In this chapter, we propose to provide a comprehensive repository of available information on the myrmecofauna of the Pantanal, identifying sampling biases and knowledge gaps. The Pantanal is the world's largest tropical wetland and is currently under intense anthropogenic pressure. It covers approximately 160,000 km² distributed across three countries: Brazil (~140,000 km²), Bolivia and Paraguay. Following the examples of existing Formicidae databases, such as those from the Amazon (Sciants) and the Atlantic Forest (Atlantic Ants), we started the search for articles in Scopus, Periódicos Capes, Web of Science and Google Scholar using the following keywords: ants+Pantanal, formicidae+Pantanal, ants+wetland+Brazil, formicidae+wetland+Brazil. We found 30 papers that include a sampling methodology, location, and a list of recorded species. Most of the studies are ecological (11), followed by studies on record of new occurrence (five), insect-plant interaction (three), species list (three), ant-insect interaction (one), collection method (two), nest architecture (one), biodiversity conservation and species distribution (four). Among the evaluated studies, only the three articles, that consist of checklists, recorded more than 100 morphospecies. Through this survey, we identified significant knowledge gaps regarding ants in the Pantanal. For instance, there are few studies on ant species in Mato Grosso do Sul, the Brazilian state that contains the largest portion of the Pantanal biome. To address this, we have initiated a database to provide structured information for researchers interested in the myrmecofauna of this biome.