Evolution of Exploding Kamizake Ants

[painted wolf]

Okay so how does that trait develop? This aspect of the "WHY" is well established.

So far we've seen something about the "glue" being a beneficial adaptation and you theorized that the "stresses" may cause the irritant to go into self-destruct mode.

But the million dollar question is: HOW does that develop in the first place?

I'm not exactly sure what you are asking... I thought we had already addressed how?

Mutations provide slight alterations to existing traits. Over time more mutations build up and if they are beneficial in some way, then they will have a greater chance of spreading in the population.

wa:do

 

[LuisDantas]

A similar defense happens in salamenders, doesn't it?

As for Shermana's question... maybe you can reword it? It is a random mutation like any other, AFAIK. Why would it be unusual?

 

[Valjean]

I think Shermana's asking about the sequence of anatomic and metabloic changes that led from a known anatomy to an explosive capability.

 

[painted wolf]

I think Shermana's asking about the sequence of anatomic and metabloic changes that led from a known anatomy to an explosive capability.

Well, if he wants that level of detail then he is in the wrong place.

I don't think we have an entomologists that specialize in this group of ants here on the forum.

wa:do

 

[Tiberius]

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.

With species like this, it's often better to think of the colony as a single organism.

True, the ants sacrifice themselves, but it is for the greater good of passing along their genes. The workers, after all, do not ever produce their own offspring. But the queen, for whom they are sacrificing themselves, does pass on her genes. And it is the genes of the queen that are in the workers. And any of the queen's young that grow up to be queens themselves will also carry the genes found in the bodies of the workers. So even though a worker's life may end, the genes within that body live on in other bodies.

And the genes for workers who sacrifice themselves to ensure the survival of the queen will be passed on from queen to baby queen, because those genes improve the queen's chances of surviving and producing more baby queens who will one day pass those same genes for self-sacrifice to another generation of workers.

In a sense, it is no different than one of your immune cells sacrificing itself to fight off a pathogen that enters your body. Sure, it dies, but the gene inside it live on, and will be passed on through your sperm or eggs when you have a child.

 

[Shermana]

The concept of the individual serving to benefit the colony is already established.

What we're looking for is the biological specifics of what allows this to even happen.

 

[LuisDantas]

Which sort of permission are we talking about? Biochemical? Sociological?

How would one identify such a permission, or distinguish it from its lack? Which kind of trace would it leave?

 

[Copernicus]

The concept of the individual serving to benefit the colony is already established.

What we're looking for is the biological specifics of what allows this to even happen.

I think that this has already been answered, but the answer is perhaps more probabilistic than "biological." It is not about individuals, especially if those individuals do not play a direct role in the replication of new colonies. Evolution is only about which self-replicating process is most successful in a competition with others. The "exploding ants" are just a device that makes colony survival more successful. The mechanism for replicating colonies resides in other ants that are specialized for spawning new colonies. The deaths of the exploding ants play no role in the evolutionary process. The ability of a queen to produce such ants does.

 

[Shermana]

I think that this has already been answered, but the answer is perhaps more probabilistic than "biological." It is not about individuals, especially if those individuals do not play a direct role in the replication of new colonies. Evolution is only about which self-replicating process is most successful in a competition with others. The "exploding ants" are just a device that makes colony survival more successful. The mechanism for replicating colonies resides in other ants that are specialized for spawning new colonies. The deaths of the exploding ants play no role in the evolutionary process. The ability of a queen to produce such ants does.

The issue is about what creates the ability to have the toxic glue explode by stresses, and what function it served before that became its prime function and how this process evolved.

 

[Shermana]

Which sort of permission are we talking about? Biochemical? Sociological?

How would one identify such a permission, or distinguish it from its lack? Which kind of trace would it leave?

Biochemical. You can identify it by stating what caused this process to develop. We've already had PW say that the toxic glue, which by stresses activates a kamikaze attack served a previous purpose. So what was that purpose and how do the stresses cause it to go explosive?

 

[LuisDantas]

I'm not even a biologist, but maybe this points at the general direction.

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.

Source: The Original Suicide Bombers? Borneo's Exploding Ants Commit Suicide to Protect Colony : Discoblog

 

[Revoltingest]

Exploding ants could'a had this mechanism in their heritage....
[youtube]tpJ3asv3XMY[/youtube]
Bombardier Beetle 1 - YouTube

 

[shawn001]

Attack of the Exploding Ants

"Recent investigation by a group of scientists* determined that the mandibular gland, commonly used for digestive enzymes in most ant species, is greatly expanded in the exploding ants. The glands are abnormally large, even extending into the abdomen and filling a substantial portion of the space.

Other than their size and function, the glands in the exploding ants are not unusual. Often in evolution, a structure initially used for one purpose is used for another purpose and undergoes modification. In this case, the mandibular gland was initially used for digestion. Once ants started using the secretions for defense, the glands enlarged to their present size. The ability to “explode” or have the secretion ooze from the ants at multiple locations is more effective at gluing the ants to the invaders."

Attack of the Exploding Ants | Living With Insects Blog