Pheidole oxyops is a common and widely spread species in the central region of South America. Despite its ecological importance, relatively little is known about its habitat preferences, population dynamics and natural history. Here we provide information about the diet, daily foraging schedule, nest size and densities, and on the influence of habitat on the dynamics of P. oxyops colonies in southeastern Brazil. We found that P. oxyops is a habitat generalist, occurring in grasslands, savannas and forests. Although mean nest densities did not differ between the habitats we surveyed, the greatest densities were detected in the savanna plots, where up to 175 nests ha⁻¹ were found. Pheidole oxyops presented an essentially predatory/scavenger habit, feeding on arthropod prey and especially on termites. Ant workers foraged during the day and the night at temperatures ranging from 14 to 28 °C. Nest mortality over a period of 1 year was positively related to initial nest densities, indicating a density-dependent regulation of the population. Nest growth rates were higher for small-sized—and thus presumably younger—nests than for large-sized nests. Overall, these life-history data reinforce the view that P. oxyops is a species typical of the Cerrado savannas, and a numerically and behaviourally dominant ant.

在南美洲中部地区，oxyoxyops是常见且广泛分布的物种。尽管其具有生态重要性，但对其生境偏好，种群动态和自然历史知之甚少。在这里，我们提供有关饮食，每日觅食时间表，巢的大小和密度以及栖息地对巴西东南部对氧假单胞菌菌落动态的影响的信息。我们发现P. oxyops是栖息地的通才，发生在草原，稀树草原和森林中。尽管我们调查的生境之间的平均巢密度没有差异，但在稀树草原地块中发现了最大的密度，其中发现了多达175个巢ha ^-1。苯氧基吡啶呈现出一种本质上的掠食性/清道夫性习性，以节肢动物的猎物，尤其是白蚁为食。白天和晚上，蚂蚁工人在14至28°C的温度范围内觅食。一年内的巢死亡率与初始巢密度呈正相关，表明种群的密度依赖性调节。与大型巢穴相比，小型巢穴的生长率较高（因此可能更年轻）。总体而言，这些生活史数据加强了对P的看法。鬣狗是塞拉多大草原的典型物种，是数量和行为上占优势的蚂蚁。