Aim: The relative importance of biotic and abiotic factors in shaping the species diversity of temperate organisms has been debated for a long time. Here, we used drepanosiphine aphids as a model group to validate the ‘resource‐dependent hypothesis’ based on the biotic interactions for specialist herbivorous insects, a hypothesis stating that their intricate relationship with host plants for resources might constrain their species diversity from being positively correlated with the species diversity of their hosts, and to assess the role of biotic and abiotic factors in shaping the global species diversity pattern of temperate organisms.Location: Global and regional.Time period: Current.Taxon: Drepanosiphine aphids (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphidoidea).Methods: We first investigated the global species diversity pattern of drepanosiphine aphids. Then we used ordinary least squares (OLS) and spatial simultaneous autoregressive (SAR) models to conduct regression analyses to test for the relationships of global and regional species richness between drepanosiphine aphids and their host plants, and other predictor variables describing entire woody plants, environmental energy, water availability, climate seasonality, topographical heterogeneity and land cover. Finally, structural equation models (SEMs) were further used to test for direct and indirect effects of key ecological variables.Results: The distribution hotspots of species richness and endemism were both located in temperate zones, supporting the notion that drepanosiphine aphids were representative of temperate organisms. The specific host plant was the most important ecological variable in explaining global and regional drepanosiphine species richness, showing a strong positive relationship. The climatic variables mainly showed an indirect effect on global and regional drepanosiphine species richness via specific hosts.Main Conclusions: The global and regional drepanosiphine species richness was primarily shaped by specific host plants as opposed to all woody trees, with indirect effects of climatic factors via host plants, which supported the ‘resource‐dependent hypothesis’ based on the biotic interactions for specialist herbivorous insects. This finding sheds new light on the ‘biotic interactions hypothesis’ that states biotic interactions can primarily affect the distributions and diversity patterns of both tropical and temperate organisms not only at the local scale but also at the regional to global scales.

In this paper, Tetramorium sinensissp. nov., a parabiotic ant, is described. It was discovered within the nest of the queenless ant Diacamma rugosum (Le Guillou, 1842) in Fenghuang Mountain Park, Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, China. Additionally, a key to the Tetramorium inglebyi group based on the worker caste is provided.

Seven known extant species ofManicahave been identified worldwide:M. bradleyi(Wheeler, 1909),M. hunteri(Wheeler, 1914),M. invidiaBolton, 1995,M. parasitica(Creighton, 1934),M. rubida(Latreille, 1802),M. shanyiisp. nov., andM. yessensisAzuma, 1955. The discovery of the new species is documented from Sichuan Province, China, marking the first recorded instance of the genusManicain China. Additionally, an identification key for distinguishing the known species within the genusManicais provided.

The accurate prediction of the niche and the potential distribution of a species is a fundamental and key content for biodiversity related research in ecology and biogeography, especially for protected species. Biotic interactions have a significant impact on species distribution but are often overlooked by SDMs. Therefore, it is crucial to incorporate biotic interaction factors into SDMs to improve their predictive performance. The Teinopalpus aureus Mell, 1923 is endemic to high altitudes in southern East Asia, renowned for its exceptional beauty and rarity. Despite the significant conservation value, its spatial distribution remains unclear. This study integrated climate data, host plants, and empirical expert maps to predict its potential distribution. The results indicated that utilizing the species richness of host plants as a surrogate for biotic interactions was a simple and effective way to significantly improve the predictive performance of the SDMs. The current suitable distribution of T. aureus and its host plants is highly fragmented, primarily concentrated in the Nanling and Wuyi Mountains, and consisting of numerous isolated small populations. Given climate change, their distribution is significantly shrinking, increasing the threatened level in the future. Especially for the population of T. aureus hainani Lee, the likelihood of extinction is extremely high. Abiotic factors not only directly affect the distribution of T. aureus but also indirectly impact it through the host plants. This was evident in the delayed response of T. aureus to climate change compared to its host plants, which is called the “hysteresis effect” caused by biotic interactions. Overall, we tentatively suggest regarding T. aureus as a vulnerable species. In the future, multiple measures could be taken to indirectly protect the feeding and habitat resources of T. aureus by conserving host plants, thereby enhancing its survival prospects.

The Hengduan Mountains, a global biodiversity hotspot, are known for their rich species diversity and unique habitats. However, knowledge of invertebrate diversity in this region remains limited compared to plants and vertebrates. Ants are a key invertebrate group with numerous species with wide distributions, and important ecological roles. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap with a comprehensive checklist of ant species on Gongga Mountain. Among invertebrates, ants stand out as an important group, boasting abundant species, wide distributions, and significant ecological roles. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by providing a comprehensive checklist of ants on Gongga Mountain, using both traditional morphology and DNA barcoding. A total of 62 species across 31 genera and seven subfamilies were identified, including 24 species newly recorded for Sichuan Province, and a new provincial record for Proceratium. Comparisons with other regions within the Hengduan Mountains, such as Ailao and Gaoligong Mountain, highlighted the predominance of endemic species in Mt. Gongga, with 41 out of 62 species being endemic. This finding significantly contributed to our understanding of ant fauna in the Hengduan Mountains, reaffirming its status as a center for species endemism. Furthermore, the inconsistency between morphological and DNA barcoding identification methods indicated widespread cryptic species across multiple ant taxa. Future research should focus on obtaining additional samples to validate these findings, employing an integrated approach that combines DNA barcoding with multiple molecular datasets and quantitative taxonomy based on morphological characteristics.

Taxonomy is fundamental to all organismic research. Therefore, the integration of molecular and morphological data is increasingly encouraged for more accurate species identification. However, the emphasis on and application of DNA barcoding methods appear to vary across different taxonomic groups. Ants, among the most prominent invertebrate groups, seem to have their taxonomic research primarily focused on morphological characteristics, with studies incorporating molecular species identification remaining relatively underrepresented. Thus, understanding the application profile of DNA barcoding in ants can provide guidance for future taxonomic research. By downloading and analyzing 350,686 sequences of eight gene fragments from the NCBI and BOLD databases, it was found that COI remains the most prevalent molecular marker, yet sequences vary in length. Only 190,880 sequences (67%) meet or exceed the standard length (658 bp), covering 15 subfamilies, 273 genera, and 3226 species (<23.00%). Among COI sequences, 32,444 sequences (9.60%) are unidentified species, spanning 12 subfamilies and 175 genera; sequences from Europe and America dominate (60%), while those from China are exceptionally scarce (0.35%). DNA barcoding analysis of representative sequences revealed inconsistencies with annotated species for some entries. These findings demonstrate that molecular data for ants are extremely limited, and existing data exhibit significant spatial and taxonomic biases. Moving forward, enhancing systematic taxonomic studies of Chinese ants—particularly accumulating DNA barcoding databases—is essential to uncover greater ant diversity, monitor invasive species, and inform conservation strategies.