Comparative Analysis of Codon Usage Bias in Transcriptomes of Eight Species of Formicidae

<b>Background:</b>Ants are among the most widely distributed eusocial insects, and desert ants, in particular, serve as important model organisms for studying animal navigation. <b>Methods</b>: In this study, we provide high-quality de novo transcriptomes for eight ant species: <i>Cataglyphis aenescens</i> (Nylander, 1849), <i>Formica approximans</i> Wheeler, 1933, <i>Lasius coloratus</i> Santschi, 1937, <i>Proformica mongolica</i> (Emery, 1901), <i>Proformica muusensis</i> Zhu, Wu, Duan & Xu, 2022, <i>Tapinoma geei</i> Wheeler, 1927, <i>Tapinoma rectinotum</i> Wheeler, 1927, and <i>Tetramorium tsushimae</i> Emery, 1925. <b>Results</b>: The GC content of coding sequences (CDSs) ranged from 43.61% to 46.20%, indicating a slightly AT-rich composition. Codon usage analysis identified 27 to 33 optimal codons per species, the majority of which ended with A or U. <b>Conclusions</b>: These transcriptomic resources provide critical insights into codon usage bias and establish a foundation for future research on molecular evolution, gene regulation, and environmental adaptation in ants inhabiting fragile desert ecosystems.