The complete mitochondrial genome of yellow crazy ant, <i>Anoplolepis gracilipes</i> (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Abstract

The yellow crazy ant <i>Anoplolepis gracilipes</i> is an invasive species that threatens biodiversity in introduced ecosystems. We sequenced the <i>A. gracilipes</i> mitogenome using next-generation sequencing methods. The circular mitogenome of <i>A. gracilipes</i> was 16,943 bp included 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a single large non-coding region of 893 bp. The base composition was AT-biased (72%). Three genomic rearrangements compared to ancestral insects were found. Phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated nucleotide sequences of the 13 protein-coding genes supports <i>A. gracilipes</i> belonging to the Formicinae subfamily. We announce the <i>A. gracilipes</i> mitogenome as a DNA reference for further population genetic, phylogenetic, and evolutionary analyses.