Pheidole obscurithorax Naves, 1985 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as a Key Species in Detecting and Removing Food Waste in Urban Areas

Ants are essential components in the maintenance of ecosystem services in natural systems, contributing significantly to ecosystem stability. In urban environments, they play a key role in the removal and recycling of organic matter accumulated in densely populated areas, providing a service that is crucial for both public health and environmental quality. In this study, we investigated differences in ant communities and the ecosystem services they provide across two contrasting urbanized environments in southeastern Brazil. To evaluate ant functional efficiency, we used two metrics: discovery time (DT) and total removal time (TRT) of food waste. Urban environments with higher levels of human intervention exhibited greater ant activity compared to those with lower levels of disturbance. No statistically significant differences in species diversity were found between the two urban habitat types. The results showed that mean DT was approximately 40% lower in highly disturbed areas. A positive association was observed between the presence of Pheidole obscurithorax and the proportion of food stations removed within and after 30 minutes, highlighting the key role of this species in food waste detection and removal in urban settings.