The fauna associated to nest belonging to nine species of three genera of Ponerinae ants were studied in two cacao agroforestry systems (Cabrua and Derruba Total) in southeast of the state of Bahia, Brazil. A total of 27 invertebrates orders comprising 87 recognized taxonomic units (RTU), were found associated to these nests. No differences were found in the abundances recorded in both agroforestry systems. The high values of the species richness and diversity of associated invertebrates were recorded to Neoponera verenae in both agroforestry systems, while the lowest value was recorded for the nest of Mayaponera constricta collected only in Cabruca. The most frequent groups were Collembola which was found in 95.8% of the reviewed nest, follow by Acari (94.7%), Hymenoptera (other ants species as well as parasitoids; 86.2%), Coleoptera (69.1%), Araneae (51%) and Symphyla (48.9%). Our study also shows the importance of Ponerinae ants’ nests as safe habitats that are attractive to many invertebrate groups, and also the importance of the cacao agroforestry system to conservation of a range of invertebrates associated to the nests of these ants.
Thanks are due to José Crispim Soares do Carmo and José Abade for field work. RJS acknowledges UESC and CNPq for Scientific Initiation (IC) grants. CSFM and JHCD acknowledge CNPq for their research grants.