Systematics and Biogeography of Leaf Cutting Ants

Understanding the geographical distribution of species can provide clues about their evolutionary history. Leaf-cutting ants (LCA), belonging to the genera Acromyrmex, Amoimyrmex, and Atta, only inhabit the American continent; they are characterized by cutting fragments of leaves and flowers and using them as substrate for the cultivation of a basidiomycete fungus on which they feed. Although most known species of LCA act as key components of ecosystems, they are some of the most important herbivores in the Neotropics. This project aims to understand, through biogeographic, phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies, the evolutionary history that gave rise to the current geographical distribution of LCA in the Southern Cone of South America.

Colaborators: Luis Calcaterra, Martín Bollazzi, Christian Rabelling, Viviana Confalonieri