ant sizes of workers: monomorphic, dimorphic, polymorphic
Depending on the species, workers in a colony can be
- Monomorphic, all the same size.
- Dimorphic, of two sizes.
- Polymorphic, more than two sizes.
Workers divide labor, so some leave the nest to find food while most of them stay in the nest to take care of all of the other tasks which need to be done.
antbird
(s) (noun), antbirds
(pl)
Tropical birds of the family Formicariidae: Antbirds follow raiding swarms of army ants and feed on the prey stirred up by the ants.
antbutterfly
(s) (noun), antbutterflies
(pl)
A butterflies that flies after the raiding swarms of army ants: Such antbutterflies feed on the droppings of antbirds.
antennal condyle
(s) (noun), antennal condyles
(pl)
The narrowed, neck-like portion of the first antennal segment that connects to the head surface: An antennal condyle refers to the appendage on the head of insects and crustaceans that are usually sensitive to touch and taste.
antennal fossa
(s) (noun), antennal fossae
(pl)
The cavity or depression of the head into which the antenna is inserted: Linda found some interesting details regarding ants and learned that the antennal fossae were the parts of an ant where the antennae were attached to the head capsule...
antennation
Touching with the antennae.
The movement can serve as a sensory probe or as a tactile signal to another insect.
apodeme
An ingrowth or other rigid process of the exoskeleton, typically used for muscle attachment.
appeasement substance
A secretion presented by a social parasite that reduces aggression in the host insect and aids the parasite's acceptance by the host colony.
appressed
Referring to a hair that runs parallel, or nearly parallel, to the body surface.
aril, elaiosome
A specialized nutritive attachment on ant-dispersed seeds.
Stimulated by the attractants, the ants transport the seeds to new locations, discard them after feeding on the elaiosomes, and so aid in the dispersal of the seeds.
army ant, legionary ant
A member of an ant species that shows both nomadic and group-predatory behavior.
In other words, the nest site is changed at relatively frequent intervals, in some cases daily, and the workers forage in groups.
arolium
A cushion-like pad located between the tarsal claws and constituting part of the pretarsus.
The tarsus is the foot of an insect; the one-segmented to five-segmented appendage attached to the tibia, or lower leg segment.
arrhenotoky
The production of male ants from unfertilized eggs.
assembly
The calling together of colony ant members for any communal activity.
Here are two additional word units that deal directly with "ants":
formic- and myrmeco-.
Index of additional Scientific and Technological Topics.
Bibliography of Entomology or Insect Terms (The Ants).
