Os segredos da vida dos insetos: uma revisão sobre as interações sociais em formigas

Abstract

Eusocial insects exhibit remarkable levels of cooperation and organization, forming structured societies in which individuals may specialize to perform tasks. Social interactions in insects include affiliative and agonistic behaviors, which are linked to the establishment of hierarchies within social groups. This study aims to systematically review the scientific literature focusing on social interactions, both agonistic and affiliative, in ant colonies, analyzing how these interactions influence task division. The systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines and using the Scopus database. After the initial data collection, a filtering process was carried out using the Rayyan Systematic Review platform. Following the article screening, a careful reading of the selected studies was conducted to identify behaviors relevant to this research. The review results indicate that the most studied ant subfamilies between 1979 and 2025 are Myrmicinae, Formicinae, and Ponerinae, reflecting the broad ecological distribution and functional diversity of these subfamilies. The findings suggest that colony size significantly influences the likelihood of observing aggressive behaviors in ants and that workers involved in brood care may be less susceptible to aggression.