A new species of "ants that explode the body against the attacks of enemies" is found in Southeast Asia

Ants are insects in which a large number of individuals live by making a group, and each individual gradually carries out division of too large a bait, and cooperative actions such as a plurality of individuals cooperating to carry a large bait It is known to take. Also, some antsMake bridges where other individuals cross over with their bodies, Life insurance to carry injured ant to a safe place, and take social action. Among such ants, there are kinds that take strange behaviors such as "to explode their own bodies", it is announced that a new species of this "explosive ant" has been discovered.

Colobopsis explodens sp. N., Model species for studies on "exploding ants" (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), with biological notes and first illustrations of males of the Colobopsis cylindrica group
https://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=22661

New Species of 'Exploding Ant' Discovered in Borneo
https://gizmodo.com/new-species-of-exploding-ant-discovered-in-borneo-1825397505

Ali are known for taking altruistic actions to maintain colonies to which they belong, whereas many organisms tend to take selfish behavior to leave their genes. And they live in Southeast Asian countries such as Borneo, Thailand and MalaysiaJibaquarAli of a kind called so-called sacrificial act of "exploding your body" against the threat such as the enemy approaching the nest.

Jibaquari will rupture the intestinal wall by contracting the abdomen, release the toxic adhesive from the internal secretory glands by the impact of the explosion, fight off the enemy with the companion. If it is a suicide bomber it surely deaths himself, but if it is from the whole colony it will be an act to bring a profit.

The existence of "ants that explode in the body" has been recognized by Western scientists for more than 100 years, and in the first half of the 20th century several species of zebacari have been confirmed. However, since 1935 there has been a period of time when no evidence of new species of Zivaquaria is confirmed, and no new albacore was discovered for nearly 80 years. Meanwhile, an interdisciplinary research team centered on the Vienna Natural History Museum and the Vienna University of Technology was dispatched to the jungle of Bornea, Thailand and Malaysia and announced the discovery of a new species of Jibaquari.


According to a paper published in the International Zoology Zoology ZooKeys, the research team discovered fifteen new species of gibags, among them the new species Colobopsis explodens will be useful for future research as a model species of Jibaquari.

In addition, it was also found that there are ants who have the role of "door keeper" in addition to workers who have the function to explode their bodies in Jibaquari. A worker of "door keeper" seems to prevent the enemy from entering the nest, by catching the nest hole with the head having a special shape, when the enemy is attacked, crowded at the entrance of the nest.

Researchers also investigated the eating habits of Jibaquari, and found that Jibaquaria eats algae, moss, dead insects, fruits, fish, and the like. With regard to Jibaquari, the researchers explode when they are too close to the workers, and there are some aspects where research is difficult, but the research team says it will elucidate the mysterious ecology by repeated investigations in the future.