Abstract

Identifications of leaf-cutting ants, species and subspecies of Acromyrmex, in particular, more precisely regarding the three subspecies of A. subterraneus (A. s. subterraneus, A. s. brunneusand A.s. molestans), which are based on a characteristic of great risk for differentiation, such as the coloration of the largest worker. Seeking to provide subsidies to elucidate the systematic problem among subspecies of A. s. brunneus, A. s. subterraneus and A. s. molestans, a morphometric analysis of characters in polymorphic leaf-cutting ant workers was carried out. Through the identification of subspecies by means of the workers’ morphology, it is possible to consider the hypothesis that A. s. molestansis a different species. However, there is also a taxonomic problem between subspecies A. s. brunneus and A. s. subterraneus. On the other hand, in most comparisons made between subspecies A. s. subterraneus and A.s. molestans,they were not significant or were inversely- proportional significant. Based on the morphometric analysis of characters, it is concluded that there is a problem in the systematization of subspecies A. s. subterraneus brunneus and A. s. subterraneus, withA. s. molestans likely being another species.

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