Evolution of Exploding Kamizake Ants

[Shermana]

Camponotus saundersi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Can someone explain how a creature develops the power to sacrificially explode toxic glue on its enemies and how this suicidal trait was passed on since its development?

I can't seem to find much (anything) about it for some reason. There seems to be an article somewhere called "Evolution of Voluntary Self-Sacrifice (Autothysis) in a Clade of Exploding Ants."" but I can't seem to find a public version of it. If anyone with a link can provide it I'd like to see what it says.

 

[savagewind]

It seems like an impossible feat to be able to pass on to one's offspring.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

It seems like an impossible feat to be able to pass on to one's offspring.

Except that the particular type of members of the colony who do this do not mate anyway. When looking at evolution of colony organisms, you have to look at it from the perspective that the various types of individuals work together, so that even if something reduces survivability of particular members in certain contexts, it still may increase the overall survivability of the colony.

 

[Warren Clark]

Camponotus saundersi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Can someone explain how a creature develops the power to explode toxic glue on its enemies and how it passes this trait on?

I can't seem to find much (anthing) about it for some reason. There seems to be an article somewhere called "Evolution of Voluntary Self-Sacrifice (Autothysis) in a Clade of Exploding Ants."" but I can't seem to find a public version of it. If anyone with a link can provide it I'd like to see what it says.

Before the chemicals were used to make "exploding glue" they had a different purpose. I don't have any research on me at the moment. I will do some later in the evening.
The basic idea when explaining the evolution is that the key components in the exploding glue were earlier used for other reasons.
The exploding glue may later serve a completely different purpose in another million years (give or take a hundred thousand years).
This ant is a perfect illustration of how evolution works.
Evolution is tricky and sometimes a bit backwards.

When a organism has a dominant trait that is a mutation it has the possibility of passing the trait on to its offspring.
If a mutation causes an organism to die off too early for the organism to reproduce the mutation will not pass on.
In this case the ant is able to reproduce but this fatal mutation didn't hurt the reproduction rate so it was passed on creating the species which we have now.

 

[Shermana]

Yes, the ones who do the suicide bombing are not the ones who do the breeding, so how does the trait to even go Kamikaze develop from the ones who do the breeding?

 

[tumbleweed41]

Survival of the species outweighs survival of the individual.

 

[tumbleweed41]

Yes, the ones who do the suicide bombing are not the ones who do the breeding, so how does the trait to even go Kamikaze develop from the ones who do the breeding?

The traits are passed on from the breeder males and the the queen. All the ants in the coloney share the same DNA, however certain traits are expresed in the non-breeders in defense of the colony.
The queen is able to pass only certain traits to the eggs dependent on the colonies needs. Just as a queen bee can produce neuter drones and fertile males as needed.

 

[Shermana]

The traits are passed on from the breeder males and the the queen. All the ants in the coloney share the same DNA, however certain traits are expresed in the non-breeders in defense of the colony.
The queen is able to pass only certain traits to the eggs dependent on the colonies needs. Just as a queen bee can produce neuter drones and fertile males as needed.

Right, so how does this trait develop in the first place?

 

[Ouroboros]

Right, so how does this trait develop in the first place?

It could have had some different purpose first, slightly different chemical compound. The Original Suicide Bombers? Borneo's Exploding Ants Commit Suicide to Protect Colony : Discoblog

So how did this rather unorthodox technique evolve? Some closely related ants have similar reservoirs that can house symbiotic microbes which help to digest plant matter [PDF]. Researchers speculate that some of the chemicals in the exploding ant’s yellow goo initially helped them break down the microbes and microbial by-products they feed on. Some of these compounds, such as irritants more commonly found in fungi, may have then proved useful in deterring enemies and led to the exploding adaptation.

 

[Shermana]

It could have had some different purpose first, slightly different chemical compound. The Original Suicide Bombers? Borneo's Exploding Ants Commit Suicide to Protect Colony : Discoblog

Okay, and how would those irritants contribute to the ability to manually control this kamikaze attack?

 

[painted wolf]

Okay, and how would those irritants contribute to the ability to manually control this kamikaze attack?

My guess... and I'll admit that I haven't studied this species... is that they don't actually manually control the attack.

It's more likely to be an autonomic response... that is they can't control it, the behavior is automatically triggered by the stress of the attack.

Like how you jerk your leg when your doctor taps your knee.

wa:do

 

[Copernicus]

Right, so how does this trait develop in the first place?

My guess would be that colonies of ants compete with each other for the same resources. Those that develop better weapons tend to dominate the others. Since the suicide glue bomber is not part of the breeding cycle, and those that are tend to win more wars, colonies with the suiciders get to spread more of their DNA around than their rivals.

 

[Ouroboros]

Okay, and how would those irritants contribute to the ability to manually control this kamikaze attack?

There's more to an ant than just the compunds. Perhaps it's a fight or flight response?

 

[Valjean]

I'd assume the evolution of the trait is a simple selfish gene thing. The individual ants exist only as mechanisms of genetic proliferation. If the loss of a few will spread or increase the genome then that will be selected for.

Also, keep in mind that these ant bombs are genetic dead ends. They will never reproduce and all their sister ants are genetically identical anyway. The colony is best served by protecting the single or few reproductive units (queens).

Altruism in Nature is proportional to genetic similarity.

 

[Ouroboros]

I'd assume the evolution of the trait is a simple selfish gene thing. The individual ants exist only as mechanisms of genetic proliferation. If the loss of a few will spread or increase the genome then that will be selected for.

The "selfish gene" issue hasn't been completely resolved, if I understand it right.

Also, keep in mind that these ant bombs are genetic dead ends. They will never reproduce and all their sister ants are genetically identical anyway. The colony is best served by protecting the single or few reproductive units (queens).

They can reproduce before they self-explode. So they're not dead ends since they're not dead before they reproduce, only dead after. Even suicide bombers leave families behind (and kids).

Evolution isn't about "survival of whatever we think is most fit for survival". "Survival of the fittest" is a very poor description. It's rather "death of the unfit and survival of the rest." The reproduction rate depends on success of reproducing. (obviously)

 

[Copernicus]

They can reproduce before they self-explode. So they're not dead ends since they're not dead before they reproduce, only dead after. Even suicide bombers leave families behind (and kids).

Evolution isn't about "survival of whatever we think is most fit for survival". "Survival of the fittest" is a very poor description. It's rather "death of the unfit and survival of the rest." The reproduction rate depends on success of reproducing. (obviously)

Ouroboros, you do realize that the exploding ants can't reproduce, don't you? They don't contribute to evolution. The queen and whatever drones she mates with do.

 

[atanu]

Ouroboros, you do realize that the exploding ants can't reproduce, don't you? They don't contribute to evolution. The queen and whatever drones she mates with do.

I searched but could not find any reference for this fact. Is there any online reference that these warriors cannot reproduce? Or I do not understand the point.

 

[Ouroboros]

Ouroboros, you do realize that the exploding ants can't reproduce, don't you? They don't contribute to evolution. The queen and whatever drones she mates with do.

Ah. Well, yeah, that's true.

But the DNA is in the queen and the drones, and they reproduce. Just because some of the ants explode still doesn't stop the reproduction of the gene. In this case, it seems like it has benefitted the whole species that this specific gene mutated at some point in time in the queen and/or drone.

 

[Ouroboros]

I searched but could find any reference for this fact. Is there any online reference that these warriors cannot reproduce? Or I do not understand the point.

It could be interesting to know, but still it wouldn't change that the gene is obviously reproduced in the offspring (unless someone would like to argue that God is creating manually each and every warrior ant). Someone probably could research and find the exact gene(s) that are responsible for the production of the enzymes/chemicals/compounds (or whatever it is). The behavior can probably eventually be explained in the DNA too (or perhaps some epigenetic factor is involved too). But in the end, the explanation to why any warrior ant is doing it right now would be natural. If the argument is that someone must've created the first exploding ants, they still must've reproduced since then (even if it was only 6,000 years ago, i.e. thousands of generations ago).

 

[Copernicus]

Ah. Well, yeah, that's true.

But the DNA is in the queen and the drones, and they reproduce. Just because some of the ants explode still doesn't stop the reproduction of the gene. In this case, it seems like it has benefitted the whole species that this specific gene mutated at some point in time in the queen and/or drone.

Think of reproduction in ants as at the colony level rather than the species or individual level. In that case, a more successful colony would tend to favor genes, not more successful individuals. See my comment in post #12.