New research shows some species of trap-jaw ants use their mandibles to launch themselves out of the way of a hungry predator.
This talent can as much as double the ants' chances of survival if there are no alternative methods of escape, PLOS reported.
The incredible mandibles of Odontomachus brunneus can close at speeds of 130 miles per second, and can also be used to capture prey, create nests, and care for larvae. Past studies have observed trap-jaw ants using their mandibles to hurl themselves into the air, but this study was the first to look at how the act influenced their chance of survival.
To make their findings, the researchers dropped trap-jaw ants into antlion pits in a lab setting. Antlions capture their prey by digging pits in the sand and burying themselves to wait for an unlucky victim to fall in. Antlions have also been known to throw sand at their prey, creating an "avalanche" that causes an unsuspecting ant to be pushed to the bottom of the pit.
"The ants were able to jump out of the pits about 15 percent of the time in their encounters with antlions," said researcher Fredrick Larabee. "But when we glued their mandibles shut before dropping them in the pits, they couldn't jump at all. It cut in half their survival rate."
The new study could reveal how a certain trait can evolve for a specific purpose, but then be used for other things such as escape.
"In this case a tool that is very good for capturing fast or dangerous prey also is good for another function, which is escape," Larabee said.
The findings were published in a recent edition of the journal PLOS ONE.
