Aspects of the ecology of Namib Desert ants

Abstract

Includes bibliographial references (leaves 222-234).Thirty-six species of ants were collected in the central Namib Desert, Namibia during the period 1981 to 1985. The ant fauna was dominated by the Myrmicinae, comprising 29 species, followed by the Formicinae, comprising six species and the Pseudomyrmecinae with one species. The dominance of the ant fauna by these subfamilies was in part attributed to the abilities of certain members of these ant groups to store food. The majority of ant species occurred on the gravel plains where species richness was strongly correlated with mean annual rainfall, an index of primary productivity. Certain species were strongly associated with perennial vegetation reflecting the ants' requirements for honeydew, nectar and/or nesting sites. The vast majority of ant species were not dependent on perennial vegetation and relied primarily on seeds, insects or both for food