Despite its negative impacts on the environment and biodiversity, tree plantations can contribute to biodiversity conservation in fragmented landscapes, as they harbor many native species. In this study, we investigated the impact of Eucalyptus plantations on the taxonomic and functional diversity of ant communities, comparing ant communities sampled in managed and unmanaged (abandoned for 28 years) Eucalyptus plantations, and native Atlantic rain forests. Eucalyptus plantations, both managed and unmanaged, reduced the functional diversity and increased the similarity between ant communities leading to functional homogenization. While communities in managed plantations had the lowest values of both taxonomic and functional ant diversities, ant communities from unmanaged plantations had similar values of species richness, functional redundancy and Rao’s Q compared to ant communities from forest patches (although functional richness was lower). In addition, communities in unmanaged Eucalyptus plantations were taxonomically and functionally more similar to communities located in managed plantations, indicating that Eucalyptus plantations have a severe long-term impact on ant communities. These results indicate that natural regeneration may mitigate the impact of Eucalyptus management, particularly regarding the functional structure of the community (α diversity), although it does not attenuate the effects of long term homogenization in community composition (β diversity).

-Artificial diets, were studied for medium sized workers of Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel isolated from laboratory and natural ant-nests. The bioassays were undertaken with 6 ants/Petri dish, 10 dishes/test, in an environmental chamber at 24 ± 1 °C and 70% RH. The number of dead ants/dish was observed daily. Results showed that there was no difference among the laboratory and field workers when treated with the liquid artificial diet. The same was demonstrated when we compared the liquid diet to the solid one. Results demonstrated that the artificial solid diet, changed every 48 hours up to 25 days, was a suitable alternative to work medium sized workers of A. sexdens rubropilosa, isolated from the ant-nest in laboratory bioassays.KEY WORDS: Insecta, Attini, artificial diet, ant, bioassays.RESUMO -Avaliou-se dietas artificiais, para operárias médias de Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel isoladas de formigueiros de laboratório e de campo. Os bioensaios foram realizados com 6 formigas/placa de Petri, sendo 10 placas/tratamento, em câmara ambiental a 24 ± 1 °C e UR > 70%. Não houve diferença na sobrevivência entre as operárias de laboratório e de campo, quando tratadas com dieta artificial líquida. Ao se comparar as dietas artificiais líquida e sólida, pode-se constatar que não houve diferença na sobreviência das operárias de laboratório tratadas com as diferentes dietas. A dieta artificial sólida com troca a cada 48 h, até 25 dias, representa uma alternativa para se trabalhar com operárias médias de A. sexdens rubropilosa, isoladas do formigueiro, em bioensaios de laboratório. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Insecta, Attini, dieta artificial, formiga, bioensaio.As relações trófícas entre as espécies de Attini são complexas e a herbivoria que exercem sobre diferentes tipos de plantas, a relação mutualística com o fungo que cultivam e a própria estrutura social dificultam os estudos sobre esses insetos. Geralmente, os estudos sobre biologia, ecologia, etologia e controle de formigas do gênero Atta são realizados no

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data.

RESUMO -A infl uência do refl orestamento com Pinus na estrutura da fauna de formigas de serapilheira foi investigada, estudando uma fl oresta Atlântica secundária inalterada há 30 anos e uma área refl orestada com Pinus elliottii no Sudeste do Brasil. Em 50 amostras de 1 m 2 tomadas em cada área, foram coletados 12.826 indivíduos, distribuídos em 95 espécies e 32 gêneros de formigas. Foram identifi cadas 60 espécies na área refl orestada com Pinus e 82 espécies na área de fl oresta secundária; aproximadamente 50% das espécies foram registradas nas duas áreas. A mediana do número de espécies por amostra foi maior na fl oresta secundária. Táxons com biologia especializada são responsáveis por grande parte das diferenças de composição de fauna, sendo a área de refl orestamento com Pinus mais rica em espécies onívoras e dominantes. Predadoras especializadas registradas na área de Pinus, como sete espécies de Dacetini, duas Basiceros, duas Attini e duas Discothyrea, têm ampla distribuição na Floresta Atlântica. A ordenação das amostras com o escalonamento multidimensional não-métrico (NMDS) indicou grande diferença na similaridade entre as amostras das áreas. Adicionalmente, essa análise sugere maior heterogeneidade na composição das amostras da fl oresta secundária, identifi cando dois agrupamentos de espécies, enquanto a área de Pinus apresenta um agrupamento apenas. Para investigar quais fatores podem explicar a heterogeneidade observada, testes de co-ocorrência e de autocorrelação espacial foram aplicados entre amostras de cada área. Nossa conclusão é que as diferenças observadas devem estar relacionadas com diferenças na qualidade e distribuição da serapilheira entre as áreas. PALAVRAS-CHAVE:Pinus elliottii, modifi cação do habitat, riqueza de espécies ABSTRACT -We investigated the infl uence of Pinus afforestation on the structure of leaf-litter ant communities in the southeastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest, studying an old secondary forest and a nearly 30 year-old never managed Pinus elliottii reforested area. A total of 12,826 individual ants distributed among 95 species and 32 genera were obtained from 50 1 m 2 samples/ habitat. Of these, 60 species were recorded in the pine plantation and 82 in the area of Atlantic forest; almost 50% of the species found in the secondary forest area were also present in the pine plantation. The number of species per sample was signifi cantly higher in the secondary forest than in the pine plantation. Forest-adapted taxa are the most responsible for ant species richness differences between areas, and the pine plantation is richer in species classifi ed as soil or litter omnivorous-dominants. The specialized ant predators registered in the pine plantation, as seven Dacetini, two Basiceros, two Attini and two Discothyrea, belong to widely distributed species. The NMDS (non-metric multidimensional scaling) ordination also suggested strong differences in similarity among samples of the two areas. Furthermore, this analysis indicated higher sample heterogeneity in the secondary f...

Primates play an important role in ecosystem functioning and offer critical insights into human evolution, biology, behavior, and emerging infectious diseases. There are 26 primate species in the Atlantic Forests of South America, 19 of them endemic. We compiled a dataset of 5,472 georeferenced locations of 26 native and 1 introduced primate species, as hybrids in the genera Callithrix and Alouatta. The dataset includes 700 primate communities, 8,121 single species occurrences and 714 estimates of primate population sizes, covering most natural forest types of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina and some other biomes. On average, primate communities of the Atlantic Forest harbor 2 ± 1 species (range = 1–6). However, about 40% of primate communities contain only one species. Alouatta guariba (N = 2,188 records) and Sapajus nigritus (N = 1,127) were the species with the most records. Callicebus barbarabrownae (N = 35), Leontopithecus caissara (N = 38), and Sapajus libidinosus (N = 41) were the species with the least records. Recorded primate densities varied from 0.004 individuals/km2 (Alouatta guariba at Fragmento do Bugre, Paraná, Brazil) to 400 individuals/km2 (Alouatta caraya in Santiago, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). Our dataset reflects disparity between the numerous primate census conducted in the Atlantic Forest, in contrast to the scarcity of estimates of population sizes and densities. With these data, researchers can develop different macroecological and regional level studies, focusing on communities, populations, species co‐occurrence and distribution patterns. Moreover, the data can also be used to assess the consequences of fragmentation, defaunation, and disease outbreaks on different ecological processes, such as trophic cascades, species invasion or extinction, and community dynamics. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this Data Paper when the data are used in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using the data.