Molecular cloning and sequencing of 18S rDNA gene fragments from six different ant species

The evolutionary relationship between socially parasitic ants and their hosts is still an unsolved problem. We have compared a 1.2 kb sequence of the 18 S ribosomal RNA genes of the parasitic antsDoronomyrmex kutteri, Harpagoxenus sublaevis andChalepoxenus muellerianus to the sequence of the host speciesLeptothorax acervorum andL. recedens (all subfamily Myrmicinae, tribe Leptothoracini) and to an out-group antCamponotus ligniperda (Formicinae). We found that parasitic species and the host species and alsoCamponotus ligniperda differ at less than 1% of the base positions of the 1.2 kb segment of the 18S rRNA gene. The sequences showed 80.3% identity to the 18 S ribosomal RNA genes of the beetleTenebrio molitor and only 66.5% to that of the dipteranDrosophila melanogaster.