Iberian Harvester Ant Queens Produce Offspring of Two Different Species Through Cloning Mechanism
By
sampo
The bagel they save for the regulars. Don't skim, savour.
Summary
Iberian harvester ant queens (Messor ibericus) have been discovered to produce offspring of both their own species and the builder harvester ant species (Messor structor) through a unique reproductive mechanism. The queens appear to clone males to create hybrid offspring, defying conventional biological understanding of species reproduction. This phenomenon represents a rare case of interspecies reproduction where a single mother can produce two different ant species from the same reproductive event.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledIberian harvester ant queens produce offspring of their own species and of the builder harvester ant, seemingly by cloning males
Two brothers of different species, produced by the same mother: Messor ibericus (left) and Messor structor (right)
These Ant Queens Seem to Defy Biology: They Lay Eggs That Hatch Into Another Species
You might also wanna read
New Australian Bee Species Discovered with Horn-Like Facial Projections
Australian researchers have discovered a new species of native bee with distinctive horn-like projections on the female's face, earning it t
The Onion·6mo ago
Stinkbug Leg Organ Hosts Symbiotic Fungi That Protect Eggs from Parasites
Researchers have discovered that what was previously thought to be a tympanal organ (sound-detecting structure) in female dinidorid stinkbug
bioengineer.org·7mo ago
European Ant Species Found Cloning Males of Different Ant Species in Biological Breakthrough
A groundbreaking discovery reveals that Iberian harvester ant queens in southern Europe can produce male clones of an entirely different ant
livescience.com·8mo ago
Study suggests homing pigeons may navigate using iron-laden liver immune cells as a magnetic compass
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior tested whether homing pigeons use iron-laden immune cells in their livers as a ma
sciencenews.org·13h ago
Lynn Margulis's endosymbiotic theory: The paper rejected by 15 journals that revolutionized biology
The article tells the story of Lynn Margulis, a young biologist whose groundbreaking 1967 paper on endosymbiotic theory — proposing that com
spacedaily.com·15h ago
Newly discovered fungus could help control invasive moss threatening UK habitats
A newly discovered killer fungus species shows promise for controlling the invasive heath-star moss that threatens UK native habitats like t
bbc.co.uk·1d ago