Uncovering the Ancient Secrets of "Hell Ants"
Ancient Ant Specimen Exhibits Odd Mandibles While Clutching Prey, Assert Scientists
Imagine ant-sized beasts with terrifying, scythe-like jaws roaming the earth over 100 million years ago. These so-called "hell ants" were more than just tiny critters -- they were formidable predators that impaled their prey.
Recently, a team of researchers unearthed a 113-million-year-old fossil at the Museum of Zoology at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. A closer look revealed this ant, named Vulcanidris cratensis, belonged to the extinct subfamily of ants known as Haidomyrmecinae. Named "hell ants," this subfamily was infamous for their vicious predatory adaptations during the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago).
Investigating this curious fossil more closely, the researchers discovered a unique set of impressive mandibles, which were likely used to pin down prey. Surprisingly, the mandibles on modern ants move sideways compared to this ancient creature.
The discovery of this ancient ant species challenges our understanding of when and how quickly these intricate predatory adaptations developed. Furthermore, the researchers concluded that Vulcanidris cratensis was closely related to other previously discovered hell ant species found in Myanmar, indicating that the Haidomyrmecinae ants had already dispersed across the world by 113 million years ago.
This fascinating finding contributes to our understanding of how one of the most successful insects on the planet, ants, evolved and diversified throughout history. The researchers also emphasized the importance of thoroughly examining existing collections and the underexplored fossil insect fauna of Brazilian paleontology.
[1] Lepeco A. et al. (2022). Vulcanidris cratensis gen. et sp. nov., the oldest fossil ant and a new species from the Crato Formation, Ceará State, Northeastern Brazil. Current Biology, 32(4), R68-R74.[2] outstandingmiami.com/early-animal-life-crato-formation[3]selectscience.net/news/18/10/web-exclusive-super-fossil-hints-at-sweeping-early-ant-evolution[4]museumofzoology.usp.br/site/
- The discovery of Vulcanidris cratensis, an ancient ant species with unique mandibles, sheds light on the advancement of technology in the formidable predatory adaptations of insects, specifically ants, during the Cretaceous period.
- The Haidomyrmecinae, or "hell ants," owe their name to their vicious predatory adaptations that were prevalent during the Cretaceous period, a testament to the evolutionary leaps in science and environmental-science that occurred millions of years ago.
- The gizmodo world of cutting-edge technology seems far removed from the prehistoric world of the extinct Haidomyrmecinae ants, yet the theories and principles of science that underpin these worlds are inextricably linked, as shown by the recent finding of the ancient fossil Vulcanidris cratensis.
- The future of space-and-astronomy research may hold the key to understanding the global dispersal of the Haidomyrmecinae ants, as advanced technology allows us to explore the earth's history in unprecedented detail, contributing to our overall understanding of evolution and the diverse life that inhabited our planet in the distant past.
