Insect or Invertebrates Identification

[Richprins]

[Lisbeth]

The majors do the easy job at the beginning of the tunnel. When it grows narrower and tougher you need to be small, narrow and ovate

[Klipspringer]

The majors do the easy job at the beginning of the tunnel. When it grows narrower and tougher you need to be small, narrow and ovate

Errr - they are all "born" in that tunnel


But it has to do with division of labor

What is in the big head? - hint: it's not a bigger brain

[Klipspringer]

Check here for a genus (hint: a common genus with many species)


https://www.antweb.org/taxonomicPage.do ... mages=true

[Richprins]

Big eyes!

[Lisbeth]

Camponotus?

[Klipspringer]

Camponotus?

Well done!



But now: why have the majors these huge heads?


There are minors and majors in many ant species, what is the majors' job?

[Richprins]

Defence!

[Lisbeth]

their head is used to block the nest entrance in defense of the colony during Neivamyrmex raids.

(Neivamyrmex is a genus of army ants)

[Klipspringer]

Yeah, the majors are the soldiers!

But they are not army ants, Lis.


They will just bite with the large mandibles and the muscles to operate the mandibles are in the head

Nonetheless, in Camponotus the majors are not only soldiers, they also go out foraging as do the minors.


Done with the big head phenomenon, now the species!


Think of an adjective to describe the gaster (bum segment) of this Camponotus aka Sugar Ant