Ants are ahead of their time

Nightmarish “supersoldier” ants with huge heads and jaws have been created by activating ancient genes that trigger their development.

Scientists believe the monster ants may be a genetic throwback to an ancestor of the Pheidole morrisi ants that lived millions of years ago.

Supersoldier ants can occur naturally in the wild, but only rarely.

In the deserts of America and Mexico, their job is to protect the colony from raids by invading army ants. The supersoldiers use their enormous heads to block the nest entrance and attack any enemy ants that get too close.

The research is reported in the journal Science.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2082799/Supersoldier-ants-gigantic-jaws.html#ixzz1icHFduvB