Ants are one of the few animals that tend to the injuries of their peers, and now it seems they are also the first non-humans known to perform life-saving amputations
Some ants chomp off the infected limbs of nestmates to boost their chances of survival, making them the only recorded non-human animals to perform amputations to save another’s life.
“I didn’t believe them at first,” says Frank. “I thought there must be something else going on. Maybe there was a threat, or the ant thought they were attacking an enemy.”After analysing video footage of the colonies, the team saw even more incidences of amputation. Each time, the amputee showed no signs of struggle. What’s more, these amputations only took place when the injury was on an individual’s upper leg.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
A protein that enables smell in ants—and stops cell deathWhile smell plays a considerable role in the social interactions of humans—for instance, signaling fear or generating closeness—for ants, it is vitally important.
Read more »
Empire of the Ants will let you explore a photorealistic bug’s life this NovemberWill Shanklin has been writing about gadgets, tech and their impact on humanity since 2011. Before joining Engadget, he spent five years creating and leading the mobile technology section for New Atlas. His work has also appeared on SlashGear, TechRadar, Digital Trends, AppleInsider, Android Central, HuffPost and others.
Read more »
Determining sex in ants | ScienceDailyResearchers have been investigating the molecular mechanisms responsible for determining sex in ants. Although the vast majority of an ant colony consists of female workers, males are essential to the continuing survival of the species.
Read more »
Ants detect and monitor low levels of moonlight to navigate at night, new study showsNocturnal bull ants can use low-level moonlight to navigate at night, according to new research.
Read more »
Early ants may have had complex social lives, fossil data suggestsThe earliest ants may have been primed for a highly social life — 100 million years ago, the insects had antennae tuned to key communication functions.
Read more »
Researchers discover that ants from millions of years ago used the same sensory organs as modern antsA multidisciplinary team of scientists from several institutions in Japan, working with colleagues at the American Museum of Natural History, has found evidence that some types of ants that lived during the Cretaceous Period had sensory organs for communication similar to those used by many modern ant species.
Read more »