First Preliminary Molecular Assessment of Ants from Cabo Verde Jowers, Michael Joséph Guouman Ferreyra, Franco Caut, Stephane Brito, José Carlos Vasconcelos, Raquel Island colonization diversity Invasive species Formicidae Hymenoptera This study was funded by an International Collaboration grant (National Institute of Ecology) and an SCVZ Desertas Fund to M.J.J. and S.C. The research was funded by the FCT through the BIGFIT project 18 April 2025(EXPL/BIA-EVL/0470/2021; https://sciproj.ptcris.pt/169739PRJ accessed on 17 April 2025) and R.V.’s contract under ‘Norma Transitória’ (DL57/2016/CP1440/CP1646/ CT0003; https://sciproj.ptcris.pt/7550EEC accessed on 17 April 2025) Background/Objectives: Ants are one of the most abundant animal groups on the planet and have a considerable impact on ecosystems. In the Cabo Verde Archipelago, the study of invertebrates is very scarce and ants are no exception. Methods: In this work we focus on the taxonomic analysis of formicids and study their distribution and the possible presence of invasive species in the Cabo Verde Islands. In addition, the diversity of Cabo Verde ants is compared with that of the closest African coastal countries, Senegal and Mauritania, to study a possible colonization of African ants into the archipelago. For this, we use two molecular markers, cytochrome oxidase I and the wingless gene, to perform phylogenetic analyses and haplotype networks that facilitate identification. Results: Nine taxa were identified, five invasive species, Paratrechina longicornis, Pheidole megacephala, Trichomyrmex destructor, Brachyponera sennaarensis, and Solenopsis globularia, one endemic Monomorium subopacum and three unidentified species of native genera, Monomorium sp., Lepisiota sp. Camponotus sp. Conclusions: Molecular network patterns as well as phylogenetic analyses suggest that ants are widespread throughout the archipelago, a likely consequence of human introductions. 2025-07-08T09:21:55Z 2025-07-08T09:21:55Z 2025-06-22 journal article Jowers, M.J.; Guouman Ferreyra, F.; Caut, S.; Brito, J.C.; Vasconcelos, R. First Preliminary Molecular Assessment of Ants from Cabo Verde. Genes 2025, 16, 725. [DOI: 10.3390/genes16070725] https://hdl.handle.net/10481/105106 10.3390/genes16070725 eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ open access Atribución 4.0 Internacional MDPI