Ant species richness and diversity in some selected localities of Western Ghats

Abstract

We have sampled ants from twelve different localities in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, India using both a package of standardized trapping methods as well as by intensive all-out-search. The relative efficacies of trapping versus all-out-search are compared. Different methods of trapping are also compared among themselves. A check list of all ants seen by all methods put together, identified up to the genus level is provided. Different localities are compared by the similarity and diversity 'of their ant fauna. A weak but statistically significant positive correlation between ant species diversity. and plant species diversity is demonstrated. This report provides the first estimates of the diversity and abundance of ants for any forest habitat of India.