Phylogenetic Position of the Western Bangladesh Populations of Weaver Ant, Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Abstract

Weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina is distributed from India through SE Asia to North Australia including many tropical western pacific Islands. A recent phylogenetic study of O. smaragdina revealed the central Bangladesh population as SE Asian mainland clade despite of its geographical proximity to India. However, the sample analyzed was limited and the geographical border between the two groups has not been presented. In this study, several samples collected from western parts of Bangladesh have been used to examine the phylogenetic position. A total of 20 O. smaragdina colonies were sampled from 12 Districts during 2013 to 2014. Their haplotype and phylogenetic relationships were determined by analyzing mitochondrial Cytochrome b gene (Cytb) of 606 bp and Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) of 775bp. Bayesian analysis inferred that the western parts of Bangladesh were occupied by Indian type, which is the first record in the country. The present study suggested that, although the Ganges river has no border effect, both Indian type and SE Asian types occur in Bangladesh.