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DO YOU KNOW ABOUT TURTLE ANTS???
Cephalotes is a genus of tree-dwelling ant species from the Americas, commonly known as turtle ants. All appear to be gliding ants, with the ability to "parachute" and steer their fall so as to land back on the tree trunk rather than fall to the ground, which is often flooded... (Wikipedia)
Ants with giant heads show evolution can go ‘backward’
Evolution isn’t always a one-way street toward increasing specialization, according to new research.
Occasionally, evolution can take a species back to a more generalist stage, the researchers report. Turtle ant soldiers scuttle around sporting shiny, adorably oversized heads. They use their heads to block the entrances of their nests—essentially acting as living doors. Not all heads are shaped alike: some soldiers have ones that resemble manhole covers and perfectly seal tunnel entrances. Others have square heads, which they assemble into multi-member blockades reminiscent of a Spartan army’s overlapping shields...
Read more: Ants with giant heads show evolution can go 'backward' - Futurity
Photographs by Scott Powell/George Washington U. & Andreas Kay/Flickr
Turtle Ants: Shielded from Danger
Among the branches and tropical wildlife, the assistant professor of biology has passed many summer hours watching a remarkable little creature distinguished by a dish-like head that acts as a shield against intruders—the turtle ant. The insect fascinates Powell not only because of the intimate connections between the ant’s unique physical features and its habitat, but also because of its interactions with other ant species Turtle ants have an elaborate caste system within their society, which includes workers, soldiers, and just one queen for each colony. They get their name from the workers’ peculiar appearance: Much like a turtle, they have an outer shell under which they can pull their antennae and legs when danger lurks nearby. Many can also flatten themselves against the ground or even slide beneath bark to hide from predators...
Read more: Turtle Ants: Shielded from Danger | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University
Photograph by Scott Powell/George Washington U.
