This thread needs a Lynne Stewart photo.
Posted on 04/18/2009 1:12:18 AM PDT by JoeProBono
This leaf-cutter ant species is all female and thrives without sex of any kind—ever—according to a new study. The ants have evolved to reproduce only when queens clone themselves.
"They appear to have evolved a new mode of reproduction, and the genetic mechanisms have yet to be worked out," said lead study author Anna Himler, a research associate at the University of Arizona.
In M. smithii the typical muscular reproductive organ of female ants has evolved into a "sort of a ghost of an organ at this point," Himler added.
No male of the species has ever been found, and "even if a male were theoretically to appear somewhere, we're not sure they could mate any more," she said.
Other ants, such as fire ants, that can reproduce asexually have working sexual organs, just in case.
M. smithii also has an idiosyncratic arrangement for that other apparent necessity: food. The ants, which range from northern Mexico to Argentina, are in a codependent relationship with a specific fungus.
"The fungus garden is quite wimpy," Himler said. "If you remove the ants, the gardens will quickly die."
The ants keep the gardens weeded, and they "feed" the fungus leaf bits, insect carcasses, and feces, which the ants clean and cut up before offering to the fungus. In return, the fungus provides the sole source of food for the ants' babies.
yeah that is what I was thinking
Guilty
In fact a male has been found.
When interviewed all he said was, “Giggity”.
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All of my Aunts are female. I’m going to make a WAG and say they always have been.
This thread needs a Lynne Stewart photo.
If they’re all female, would that make them...wait for it...”lesbi-ants?”
Hehhehehehehe
Also, they eat out ALL THE TIME, and never cook at home, so who’s pickin’ up the check?!? ;’) [time to duck and run]
The ant queen does not self fertilize. The ant queen produces an exact clone of herself, a process known as Parthenogenesis.
There are some lizards who do parthenogenesis also. Interestingly, they become pregnant after getting together with another female lizard and humping on each other, with absolutely no DNA or bodily fluid exchange occurring. Possibly the hormones necessary for pregnancy still need a good jump-start from sexual activity.
But the ants are not in any way hermaphroditic. They not only don't have male sexual organs, but if you read the article or excerpt, their female sexual organs are not functional either.
The ants are not hermaphrodites, they reproduce through parthenogenesis not self fertilization. There is a big difference.
Most ants are blind (in some species, male ants are not) which may explain why anthills are just a giant pile of dirt grains and ant poop, with no color coordination, accents, or dried eucalyptus arrangements.
Amazants?
Lesbiants?
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