Species body-size distribution and spatial scale in Iberian ants

The specific body size distribution (BSD) for Iberian ants (workers) was co mpiled and compared to subsamples of that distribution at four smaller scal es, from very local samples to species-lists for autonomous regions. The BS D of Iberian ants was right-skewed on a log scale and approached normality. The mean dry body mass +/- s.d. was 0,93 +/- 1,55 mg and the median 0,31 m g. Neither local samples nor samples at intermediate scales differed from r andom samples from the underlying Iberian distribution in median or skewnes s. Limited geographical scope or a misdirected measure (single individual m ass) in this study could explain why we did not find the pattern of a previ ously reported difference in BSD of local samples as compared to regional s amples in mammals. The BSD of local samples in Iberian ants was not influen ced by latitude.