Exploring Ant (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Species Diversity in the Gongga Mountain, China

The Hengduan Mountains, a global biodiversity hotspot, are known for their rich species diversity and unique habitats. However, knowledge of invertebrate diversity in this region remains limited compared to plants and vertebrates. Ants are a key invertebrate group with numerous species with wide distributions, and important ecological roles. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap with a comprehensive checklist of ant species on Gongga Mountain. Among invertebrates, ants stand out as an important group, boasting abundant species, wide distributions, and significant ecological roles. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by providing a comprehensive checklist of ants on Gongga Mountain, using both traditional morphology and DNA barcoding. A total of 62 species across 31 genera and seven subfamilies were identified, including 24 species newly recorded for Sichuan Province, and a new provincial record for Proceratium. Comparisons with other regions within the Hengduan Mountains, such as Ailao and Gaoligong Mountain, highlighted the predominance of endemic species in Mt. Gongga, with 41 out of 62 species being endemic. This finding significantly contributed to our understanding of ant fauna in the Hengduan Mountains, reaffirming its status as a center for species endemism. Furthermore, the inconsistency between morphological and DNA barcoding identification methods indicated widespread cryptic species across multiple ant taxa. Future research should focus on obtaining additional samples to validate these findings, employing an integrated approach that combines DNA barcoding with multiple molecular datasets and quantitative taxonomy based on morphological characteristics.