Mechanical and elemental characterization of ant mandibles: consequences for bite mechanics.

Mandible morphology has an essential role in biting performance, but the mandible cuticle can have regional differences in its mechanical properties. The effects of such a heterogeneous distribution of cuticle material properties in the mandible responses to biting loading are still poorly explored in chewing insects. Here, we tested the mechanical properties of mandibles of the ant species by nanoindentation and investigated the effects of the cuticular variation in Young's modulus (E) under bite loading with finite-element analysis (FEA).

Mechanical demands of bite in plane head shapes of ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) workers.

Food processing can exert significant evolutionary pressures on the morphological evolution of animal appendages. The ant genus displays a remarkable degree of morphological differentiation and task specialization among its workers. Notably, there is considerable variation in head shape within worker subcastes of , which could affect the stress patterns generated by bite-related muscle contraction.

Climate and body size have differential roles on melanism evolution across workers in a worldwide ant genus.

One of the main aspects associated with the diversity in animal colour is the variation in melanization levels. In ectotherms, melanism can be advantageous in aiding thermoregulation through heat absorption. Darker bodies may also serve as a shield from harmful UV-B radiation.

ATLANTIC ANTS: a data set of ants in Atlantic Forests of South America.

Ants, an ecologically successful and numerically dominant group of animals, play key ecological roles as soil engineers, predators, nutrient recyclers, and regulators of plant growth and reproduction in most terrestrial ecosystems. Further, ants are widely used as bioindicators of the ecological impact of land use. We gathered information of ant species in the Atlantic Forest of South America.

Imperfect synchrony in animal displays: why does it occur and what is the true role of leadership?

Synchrony can be defined as the precise coordination between independent individuals, and this behaviour is more enigmatic when it is imperfect. The traditional theoretical explanation for imperfect synchronous courtship is that it arises as a by-product of the competition between males to broadcast leading signals to attract female attention. This competition is considered an evolutionary stable strategy maintained through sexual selection.

Mandibular morphology, task specialization and bite mechanics in ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Ants show remarkable ecological and evolutionary success due to their social life history and division of labour among colony members. In some lineages, the worker force became subdivided into morphologically distinct individuals (i.e.