Comments on: Weightlifting ants http://roberto.kellerperez.com/2010/02/weightlifting-ants/ Ant reconstruction one homology at a time Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:34:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Green Tree Ants « ptygmatics http://roberto.kellerperez.com/2010/02/weightlifting-ants/comment-page-1/#comment-1525 Green Tree Ants « ptygmatics Sat, 05 Jun 2010 04:36:18 +0000 http://roberto.kellerperez.com/?p=2044#comment-1525 [...] feet and impressive weight-holding ability (see Archetype for some great info on sticky feet, here and here). A single colony can span multiple trees, with many of these nests in varying sizes. They [...] [...] feet and impressive weight-holding ability (see Archetype for some great info on sticky feet, here and here). A single colony can span multiple trees, with many of these nests in varying sizes. They [...]

]]> By: Roberto Keller http://roberto.kellerperez.com/2010/02/weightlifting-ants/comment-page-1/#comment-1381 Roberto Keller Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:57:29 +0000 http://roberto.kellerperez.com/?p=2044#comment-1381 Not that I know of Pete, and I don't know <em>Oecophylla</em> in the field. I just went through my set of SEMs for the species. There's nothing I would say is unusual on their legs externally compared to other formicines. The only thing I can think of is their very elongated thorax: the middle segment is particularly large, and since in workers there are muscles that span from inside the base of the legs (coxae) to the roof of each segment, that means those muscles pulling the legs are indeed quite long. Now, if that helps them strengthen their legs, no idea. Not that I know of Pete, and I don’t know Oecophylla in the field.

I just went through my set of SEMs for the species. There’s nothing I would say is unusual on their legs externally compared to other formicines. The only thing I can think of is their very elongated thorax: the middle segment is particularly large, and since in workers there are muscles that span from inside the base of the legs (coxae) to the roof of each segment, that means those muscles pulling the legs are indeed quite long. Now, if that helps them strengthen their legs, no idea.

]]> By: Pete Yeeles http://roberto.kellerperez.com/2010/02/weightlifting-ants/comment-page-1/#comment-1380 Pete Yeeles Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:05:19 +0000 http://roberto.kellerperez.com/?p=2044#comment-1380 Roberto, out of interest do you know if Oecophylla smaragdina have any kind of adaptation to reinforce their joints? I have engaged in numerous "tugs of war" with these guys, and am always amazed by a) how much force I have to exert to get them off the leaf, and b) how they never lose a limb! Roberto, out of interest do you know if Oecophylla smaragdina have any kind of adaptation to reinforce their joints? I have engaged in numerous “tugs of war” with these guys, and am always amazed by a) how much force I have to exert to get them off the leaf, and b) how they never lose a limb!

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