Diversity and distribution of ants (hymenoptera: formicidae) in katanchimalai region of coimbatore district, tamil nadu

Abstract

The study examined the diversity of ants in the Kattanchimalai region, Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, as there is no adequate information pertaining on ant diversity of this region. The present study was carried out during November 2020 to February 2021. We have sampled ants by employing intensive all out search method. The sampled specimens representing 35 species belonged to 12 genera and five subfamilies. The most diverse subfamily was Formicinae (4 genera with 16 species), followed by Myrmicinae (5 genera with 12 species), Pseudomyrmicinae (1 genera with 4 species) followed by Dolichoderinae (2 genera with 2 species). The smallest number of species belonged to the Ponerinae (1 genus with 1 species). Among the sampled genera, the highest number of species representation was Camponotus with 4 species. Few ant genera as Crematogaster and Pheidole of Myrmicinae, Camponotus of Formicinae and Leptogenys of Ponerinae were mostly found everywhere. Some genera viz; Oecophylla, Anoplopsis, Paratrechina of Formicinae subfamily and Tetraponera of Pseudomyrmicinae are represented by one species each.