By maintaining a forest-like structure, shaded cocoa plantations contribute to the conservation of ants that usually live in the soil, leaf litter or canopy of tropical forests.Here we synthesize the available information on the diversity and community structure of ants in shaded cocoa plantations in the Atlantic forest region of Brazil, compare ant assemblages in cocoa agroforests with forests and other forms of agriculture, and discuss how these shaded plantations contribute to the conservation of the ants in the Atlantic Forest region. We also discuss ants of economical importance and of special interest, including Camponotus, Dolichoderus, Gnamptogenys, Pachycondyla, Pseudomyrmex and other litter dwelling genera. We discuss the situation of the tramp ant Wasmannia auropunctata in the Bahian cocoa-producing region where it is considered as native, and that of the two cryptobiotic genera Thaumatomyrmex and Typhlomyrmex, as well as that of proven and possible endangered army ant and Ponerini species. A total of 192 ant species from four strata were found in extensive sampling of a cocoa plantation with a relatively simple shade canopy (comprised primarily of Erythrina). Species richness in the cocoa plantations corresponded roughly to that of low diversity native forests, and species composition of cocoa plantations was most similar to native habitats (forest and mangroves) while ant composition in other agricultural habitats was most similar to that of urban areas. Although occurrences of Wasmannia auropunctata were similar in cocoa plantations and forests, abundance of Thaumatomyrmex and Typhlomyrmex, generally thought to be rare ants, was relatively high in cocoa plantations. These results, from cocoa plantations with relatively simple shade, demonstrate the importance of cocoa for ant conservation in the Atlantic forest region of Brazil. It is likely that cocoa plantations with a greater number of vegetation strata and higher tree species richness (such as traditional cabruca plantations) provide even more important habitat for ants generally and for ant species of conservation concern.

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Abstract.  Ants of the genus Dinoponera belong to a convergent group, in which there is no morphologically specialized caste of reproducing females and reproduction is by fertilized workers known as gamergates. Dinoponera lucida Emery, which is native to Brazilian Atlantic rain forest, is included on the official list of Brazilian fauna species threatened with extinction, due to habitat fragmentation, loss of their natural habitat and to peculiarities in their biology. Karyotype variation was studied among D. lucida populations in the states of Bahia and Espirito Santo, Brazil. The cytogenetic study was carried out on brain ganglia and/or on male and/or female gonads. Banding techniques, such as sequential staining with DA/CMA3/DAPI fluorochromes and FISH, were also applied. The diploid chromosome numbers ranged from 106 to 120. Variations in the karyotype were detected in the populations from Bahia, while in Espirito Santo the karyotypes were the same everywhere. Most of the chromosomes were small in size and acrocentric, except for a differentiated pair (AMt). This pair exhibited polymorphism in the different populations. The karyotype variation detected in D. lucida suggested that the original population has previously been divided into two allopatric populations distributed in two different refugial areas of Atlantic rain forest in the early Quaternary. They probably developed in parallel and differentiated in karyotype composition. When the Atlantic rain forest regained its continuous distribution along with the Brazilian coast, the two groups came to occupy the continuous area of occurrence of the species that is seen today.