diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 329e4a7..57daae8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -17,10 +17,10 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         include:
-          - python-version: "3.8"
+          - python-version: "3.10"
             os: ubuntu-22.04
             env-file: "test/environment_min.yml"
-          - python-version: "3.12"
+          - python-version: "3.14"
             os: ubuntu-24.04
             env-file: "test/environment_max.yml"
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c4493d1..9b73b72 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ You can also install SCARAP manually by cloning it and installing the following
 * [Python3](https://www.python.org/) version >= 3.8, < 3.13
 * Python packages (see pyproject.toml file for versions):
     * [biopython](https://biopython.org/)
-    * [ete3](http://etetoolkit.org/)
+    * [ete4](http://etetoolkit.org/)
     * [numpy](https://numpy.org/)
     * [scipy](https://www.scipy.org/)
     * [pandas](https://pandas.pydata.org/)
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 8b9c01f..f3b15cc 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -14,18 +14,18 @@ maintainers = [
 ]
 description = "A toolkit for prokaryotic comparative genomics"
 readme = "README.md"
-requires-python = ">=3.8,<3.13"
+requires-python = ">=3.10,<3.15"
 classifiers = [
   "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
   "License :: OSI Approved :: GNU General Public License v3 (GPLv3)",
   "Operating System :: OS Independent"
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "biopython>=1.79,<2",
-    "ete3>=3.1,<4",
-    "numpy>=1.18,<3",
-    "scipy>=1.4,<2",
-    "pandas>=1.3,<4"
+    "biopython>=1.85,<2",
+    "ete4>=4.1",
+    "numpy>=2.02,<3",
+    "scipy>=1.13.1,<2",
+    "pandas>=2.3.1,<4"
 ]
 
 [project.urls]
diff --git a/src/scarap/module_wrappers.py b/src/scarap/module_wrappers.py
index 3a2d5a9..d69032e 100644
--- a/src/scarap/module_wrappers.py
+++ b/src/scarap/module_wrappers.py
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ def run_pan_withchecks(args):
         check_infile(args.species)
 
     logging.info("checking dependencies")
+    if args.method in ["T-nl","FT"]:
+        check_tool("iqtree")
     if args.method in ["O-B", "O-D"]:
         check_tool("orthofinder")
     elif args.method == "S":
diff --git a/src/scarap/pan.py b/src/scarap/pan.py
index e77db3a..c958bde 100644
--- a/src/scarap/pan.py
+++ b/src/scarap/pan.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 from Bio import AlignIO, Align
 from copy import copy
-from ete3 import Tree
+from ete4 import Tree
 from concurrent.futures import ProcessPoolExecutor
 from scipy import cluster
 
@@ -105,8 +105,9 @@ def update_seedmatrix(seedmatrix, sequences, dout_tmp, threads):
     
     # give warning if some sequences don't align to their cluster seed
     ids_to_seed = np.amax(seedmatrix, 1)
-    if np.any(ids_to_seed == 0):
-        logging.warning("ficlin: one or more sequences do not align to any "
+    seeds_not_aligned = np.count_nonzero(ids_to_seed == 0)
+    if seeds_not_aligned:
+        logging.warning(f"ficlin: {seeds_not_aligned} sequences do not align to any "
             "seed")
     
     # remove temporary output folder
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@ def split_pan(pan, tree):
     Args:
         pan (DataFrame): A gene table with at least the columns reprf and 
             orthogroup.
-        tree: An ete3 tree (= the root node of a tree)
+        tree: An ete4 tree (= the root node of a tree)
         
     Returns:
         [pan1, pan2, tree1, tree2]
@@ -170,16 +171,18 @@ def split_pan(pan, tree):
     
     # midpoint root the tree
     midoutgr = tree.get_midpoint_outgroup()
+    if tree.root.dist:
+        tree.root.dist = None
+    
     if midoutgr != tree:
         tree.set_outgroup(midoutgr) 
-        
     # split tree at root
     tree1 = tree.children[0].copy()
     tree2 = tree.children[1].copy()
     
     # split pan
-    reps_subfam1 = tree1.get_leaf_names()
-    reps_subfam2 = tree2.get_leaf_names()
+    reps_subfam1 = tree1.leaf_names()
+    reps_subfam2 = tree2.leaf_names()
     pan1 = pan[pan["rep"].isin(reps_subfam1)].copy()
     pan2 = pan[pan["rep"].isin(reps_subfam2)].copy()
     
@@ -194,7 +197,7 @@ def lowest_cn_roots(tree, pan):
     """Determine the set of lowest copy-number roots.
     
     Args:
-        tree: ete3 tree object where the leaf names correspond to the values of
+        tree: ete4 tree object where the leaf names correspond to the values of
             the reprf column in pan.
         pan (DataFrame): Table with at least the columns reprf and genome.
         
@@ -213,7 +216,7 @@ def lowest_cn_roots(tree, pan):
     min_av_cn = 100000000
     
     # loop over all nodes except the root
-    for node in tree.iter_descendants():
+    for node in tree.descendants():
         # initialize empty genome lists for partition 1 and 2
         genomes1 = []
         genomes2 = []
@@ -299,7 +302,7 @@ def correct_root(root, tree, pan):
     min_av_cn = 100000000
     
     # loop over all nodes except the root
-    for node in tree.iter_descendants():
+    for node in tree.descendants():
         genomes1, genomes2 = partition_genomes(reprfs_genomes, node)
         overlap = set(genomes1) & set(genomes2) # intersection
         # if genomes that overlap in the midpoint bipartition do not all
@@ -429,11 +432,12 @@ def split_family_T_nl(pan, sequences, threads, dio_tmp):
     run_mafft(f"{dio_tmp}/seqs.fasta", f"{dio_tmp}/seqs.aln", threads)
     run_iqtree(f"{dio_tmp}/seqs.aln", f"{dio_tmp}/tree", threads, 
         ["-m", "LG+F+G4"])
-    tree = Tree(f"{dio_tmp}/tree/tree.treefile")
+    with open(f"{dio_tmp}/tree/tree.treefile", "r") as ftree:
+        tree = Tree(ftree)
     midoutgr = tree.get_midpoint_outgroup()
-    genes_subfam1 = midoutgr.get_leaf_names()
+    genes_subfam1 = midoutgr.leaf_names()
     midoutgr.detach()
-    genes_subfam2 = tree.get_leaf_names()
+    genes_subfam2 = tree.leaf_names()
     pan1 = pan.loc[genes_subfam1].copy()
     pan2 = pan.loc[genes_subfam2].copy()
     family = pan.orthogroup.tolist()[0]
@@ -558,8 +562,8 @@ def split_family_FT(pan, sequences, tree, ficlin, min_reps, max_reps,
             threads, ["--amino"])
         run_iqtree(f"{dio_tmp}/repseqs.aln", f"{dio_tmp}/tree", threads, 
             ["-m", "LG"])
-        tree = Tree(f"{dio_tmp}/tree/tree.treefile")
-    
+        with open(f"{dio_tmp}/tree/tree.treefile", "r") as ftree:
+            tree = Tree(ftree)
     # split pan based on midpoint root
     pan1, pan2, tree1, tree2 = split_pan(pan, tree)
     sequences1 = [s for s in sequences if s.id in pan1.index]
@@ -792,7 +796,7 @@ def split_family_recursive_FT(pan, sequences, tree, ficlin, min_reps,
             columns gene, genome and orthogroup. 
         sequences (list): A list with one SeqRecord object per row in pan, in 
             the same order. 
-        tree: An ete3 tree object. 
+        tree: An ete4 tree object. 
         finclin (bool): Should ficlin be used to pick representatives?
         min_reps (int): The minimum number of representatives to use. 
         max_reps (int): The maximum number of representatives to use. 
diff --git a/test/environment_max.yml b/test/environment_max.yml
index 63b0402..59d50d3 100644
--- a/test/environment_max.yml
+++ b/test/environment_max.yml
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ channels:
 dependencies:
   - mafft=7.526
   - bioconda::mmseqs2=18.8cc5c
-  - python=3.12 # maximum allowed by ete v3
+  - python=3.14  
   - biopython=1.86
-  - ete3=3.1.3 # ete v4 not compatible
+  - conda-forge::ete4=4.3.0 
   - numpy=2.4.2
   - scipy=1.17.0
   - pandas=3.0.1
diff --git a/test/environment_min.yml b/test/environment_min.yml
index 53bc9c8..0f777b7 100644
--- a/test/environment_min.yml
+++ b/test/environment_min.yml
@@ -6,14 +6,14 @@ channels:
   - conda-forge
   - nodefaults
 dependencies:
-  - bioconda::mafft=7.407
-  - bioconda::mmseqs2=11.e1a1c
-  - python=3.8 # 3.7 lacks importlib.metadata
-  - biopython=1.79
-  - ete3=3.1.2
-  - numpy=1.18.5
-  - scipy=1.4.1
-  - pandas=1.3.5
+  - bioconda::mafft=7.525
+  - bioconda::mmseqs2=18.8cc5c
+  - python=3.10 # 3.10 is earliest version with ete4 on conda-forge
+  - biopython=1.85
+  - conda-forge::ete4=4.1.1  
+  - numpy=2.02
+  - scipy=1.13.1
+  - pandas=2.3.1
   - pip
   - pip:
     - ..