Diversity and distribution of acrobat ants, Crematogaster Lund, 1831 (Formicidae, Myrmicinae), in the Colombian tropical dry forest

The tropical dry forest (TDF) in Colombia is a highly threatened ecosystem by deforestation, intensive agriculture, urbanization and climate change. These pressures have caused extensive habitat loss and fragmentation, negatively impacting biodiversity and the ecological roles of key groups such as ants. Currently, the TDF is divided into six regions (Caribbean, Norandina, Orinoquía, Patía River Valley, Cauca River Valley and Magdalena River Valley), based on the composition and other attributes of the vegetation that structures each of them. We document the species composition, richness and distribution of acrobat ants ( Crematogaster Lund, 1831) in Colombian TDF, based on data from five regions (except the Norandina region). Records were compiled from biological collections, project loans and standardized field sampling using mini-Winkler extractors, pitfall traps and manual collection. In total, 23 species were recorded, with the Caribbean Region exhibiting the highest richness and the Patía River Valley the lowest. Species composition amongst regions was analyzed using non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS), based on the Jaccard similarity index, with subsequent permutational multivariate analysis of variance. The non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination, based on Jaccard dissimilarity, provided an adequate representation of the compositional relationships amongst sampling units across Colombian dry forest regions. PERMANOVA detected a significant overall effect of region on sampling unit composition. Data source also had a significant effect on sampling unit composition. Seven species were widely distributed, with C. curvispinosa being the most widespread, whereas six species were restricted to a single region, mainly the Caribbean. Our findings highlight the adaptability of Crematogaster to habitat fragmentation in TDF. However, gaps in geographic coverage likely underestimate true diversity, with important implications for conservation strategies targeting this threatened biome.