How do trap-jaw ants keep their heads from blowing up?
Jaw-trap ants ( Odontomachus brunneus ) is a predatory insect with extraordinary jaws. They open their jaws by 180 Hi and lock it in there until they need to close it. The snap, when it happens, takes only microseconds and involves considerable force. In fact, the jaws of these ants are one of the fastest moving appendages in the animal kingdom. Ants use these jaws to electrocute or kill most of their prey, but can also release their snaps near the ground. This action ultimately propels the ant into the air, either as a kind of “jump” to aid movement, or to get the ant out of a sticky situation. When not being used to kill prey or jump to safety, the ant’s jaws can be used very carefully to greet other ants or manipulate small pieces of food. Impressed by the way trap-jaw ants use their jaws for delicate maneuvers and fierce punches, a team led by Sheila Patek at Duke University set out to investigate how these jaws work. Interesting results from this study were published in Jo