Lighthouse News Daily

Breaking Daily News

Friday, February 26, 2021
Log in
  • Headlines
  • Business
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • U.S.
  • World
  • Latest News
    • Inflatable Greenhouse Could Be A Food Source In The Outer Space
    • YouTube for Children Being Launched by Google
    • Some Animals Produce Natural Sunscreen to Protect Themselves from Radiation, New Study Shows
    • A New Genetic Map Tracks Down Dog Breeds And Their Evolution
    • Lack Of Sleep Causes Brain Cells To Slow Down
    • Meet Lyuba, the Best-Preserved Baby Mammoth in the World
    • Reports of Great White Shark Spottings Around Wells, Maine
    • Minecraft Adds Hour of Code Designer Tutorial
    • The de Broglie-Bohm Theory Is Back and It’s Surreal
    • Could High Carbon Dioxide Concentration Make Earth Greener?
You are here: Home / Nature / Rarely Seen Ants Snap Their Jaws Faster Than The Blink Of An Eye

Rarely Seen Ants Snap Their Jaws Faster Than The Blink Of An Eye

September 1, 2017 By Joseph Decker Leave a Comment

Email, RSS Follow
rarely seen ants named Myrmotera in close up

Scientists determined that a species of rarely seen ants can snap their jaws at 50 mph.

Scientists barely managed to capture on camera an incredible example of convergent evolution. They detected and started monitoring rarely seen ants known as Myrmoteras, a genus of trap-jaw ants from South-East Asia.

These small predators are anything but slow as they are capable of snapping their jaws shut on their preys at a speed of up to 50mph, even faster than the blink of an eye.

Rarely Seen Ants, Deadly Fast Predators

The research on these fascinating ants was led by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s Frederick Larabee. Scientists looked to find out exactly how this particular species of ants started dominating its local patch of fauna and flora.

To do so, the team used a microscope, a machine capable of micro-CT or micro-computed tomography, and some movie camera equipment. This latter came equipped with a macro lens camera capable of shooting 50,000 frames per second.

Thanks to the equipment, the team was able to establish the speed with which these rarely seen ants can snap shut their jaws, the staggering 50mph or 80km/h.

The researchers also analyzed the data to determine what helped the ants reach this speed. In doing so, they noted that the tiny predators’ mandibles are latched into place at a 280-degree angle. This is also tensed and possesses a seemingly considerable stored energy.

As the latch slips, this energy is released and causes the jaws to snap shut in half a millisecond. However, the head of the ant is a more complex structure than believed, as it helps trigger quite a mechanism.

One that is bad news for springtails, which are the natural prey of this species of ants.

“What’s interesting is that the arrangement of the muscles and how the jaws are locked open are completely different from other trap-jaws ants that have been studied,” states Larabee.

The lead and his team were also faced with the hard task of finding enough of the Myrmoteras to study. They are elusive and rarely seen, and also seemingly hard to maintain alive in the lab.

Study results were released in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

Image Source: Wikimedia

Email, RSS Follow

Filed Under: Nature

Pages

  • About/Contact
  • AccomplishNow Sandra Rechsteiner | A Journey to Self-Acceptance
  • Privacy Policy GDPR
  • Staff
  • Terms and Conditions

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 17 other subscribers

NASA Employees Loved Ridley Scott’s The Martian

September 25, 2015 By Janice Bower Leave a Comment

Jury to Hear Aaron Hernandez Murder Trial Opening Statements

January 29, 2015 By Janice Bower Leave a Comment

Team Finds Link between Premature Birth and Weaker Brain Connections

October 20, 2015 By Grant Hamersma Leave a Comment

Mitt Romney Opts Out of Running in 2017

January 30, 2015 By Lonnie Davidson Leave a Comment

Microsoft: Cloud and Surface Up, Profit Down

January 27, 2015 By Lonnie Davidson Leave a Comment

Monster Asteroid Expected to Whizz Past Earth on Halloween

October 20, 2015 By Lonnie Davidson 1 Comment

Egging Victims Sue Justin Bieber for Assault

March 20, 2015 By David Kellen Leave a Comment

Dog Poisoned and Dies Following UK Dog Show

March 9, 2015 By Renee Johnson Leave a Comment

Related Articles

  • panda bear in tree

    Ancient Panda Skull of Unknown Lineage Discovered (Study)

    Jun 20, 2018
  • baobab trees in Madagascar

    Africa’s Baobab Trees are Mysteriously Dying (Study)

    Jun 12, 2018
  • two dolphins

    Male Dolphin Friends “Hold Hands” to Maintain Bonds (Study)

    Jun 8, 2018
  • group of bees

    Bees Are Able to Understand the Concept of Zero (Study)

    Jun 8, 2018
  • green lizard

    Mystery of New Guinea Lizards and Their Lime-Green Blood (Study)

    May 17, 2018
  • Australian Antechinus marsupial

    Too Much Sex is Killing the Australian Antechinus

    May 16, 2018
  • ice holes in the arctic seen from above

    Scientists Are Rather Baffled by Bizarre Set of Ice Holes in the Arctic

    Apr 27, 2018
  • ant on a leaf

    The Exploding Ants that Sacrifice for the Colony (Study)

    Apr 20, 2018
  • Cockroaches on wood

    Cockroaches are Impossible to Kill Because of their Genes (Study)

    Mar 22, 2018
  • coral reefs

    Coral Reefs at Risk Because of Oceans’ Increased Acidity (Study)

    Mar 16, 2018

Categories

  • Business
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Headlines
  • Health
  • Nature
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • U.S.
  • Uncategorized
  • World

Copyright © 2021 lighthousenewsdaily.com

About | Contact · Staff · Terms and Conditions · Privacy Policy

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more.