Characterization of the Mitochondrial Genome and Phylogenetic Analysis of Formica candida

Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) represent one of the largest and most widely distributed families of terrestrial insects, holding significant value in ecological research. The mitochondrial genome has been widely used as a reliable genetic marker for species identification and phylogenetic analysis. Formica candida is one of the ant species known to inhabit the highest altitudes. In this study, we conducted the first systematic research on Formica candida in China. By extracting total DNA and performing shallow genome sequencing, assembly, and annotation, we obtained the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Formica candida, which is 17,558 bp in length and has been deposited in GenBank under accession number OR251196. Simultaneously, a total of 31 complete and well-annotated mitochondrial genomes of Formicidae were retrieved from the NCBI database. Phylogenetic trees were constructed using Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) methods. The results showed that the BI tree and ML tree based on the 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes (PCGs) exhibited congruent topologies, consistently revealing the phylogenetic relationships within the subfamily Formicinae and the genus Formica . The major clades, including Formica and Lasius from China and adjacent regions, were clearly delineated. Our findings enrich the basic biological data for Formica candida and provide a valuable reference for the phylogeny of Formicidae and related research.