Melanesian and South Pacific ants systematics and biogeography



The main aims of the work range from the clarification of the systematics and biogeography of South Pacific ants, to the elucidation of population-level ant phylogeographic patterns, as an attempt to understand the diversity and distribution of ants in Melanesia and the South Pacific.


The region consists of both insular and mainland landscapes of rather similar physical conditions, with a very dynamic geological history. Because of these characteristics and the discrete nature of islands, the signatures left by evolutionary and ecological processes can be easier to detect than in continental habitats.


Our projects for the Melanesia and South Pacific regions include:


  • Reconstruction of the phylogenetic relationships among ant species within three genera, Odontomachus, Nylanderia and Acropyga, using them as models to study speciation across archipelagos and terrains of various origins. Our preliminary results showed consistent patterns in colonization routes as well as population structure across archipelagos and within New Guinea (Manuscripts in preparation).

  • Population characteristics of widespread ant species and the evaluation of hypothetical dispersal routes, geological history, historical sea level fluctuations and climate changes across the South Pacific. The discovery of extensive informative polymorphisms (SNPs) using RADtags is helping to understand the population-level patterns in certain lineages.

  • Population genetic patterns and phylogeography of selected ant taxa to identify potential historical and contemporary landscape configurations affecting gene flow and population structure on the island of New Guinea.


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