Ant queen defies biology – how did she give birth to two species? 溺
Scientists have documented an extraordinary event in Europe. A single ant queen produced two distinct species of ants. This challenges fundamental understandings of insect reproduction. Researchers observed this unusual phenomenon in a colony of the Formica execta ant.
The queen, initially producing one species, later laid eggs that developed into a completely different species. Genetic analysis confirmed the surprising divergence. This marks the first known instance of an animal cloning members of another species.
This discovery, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has stunned the scientific community. Only about 3% of animal species are capable of asexual reproduction. The implications for evolutionary biology are significant.
Further research will focus on understanding the genetic mechanisms behind this cloning ability. This could unlock new insights into the evolution of social insect behavior.
