Tiny Creature Defies Science As It Can Give Birth to Two Different Species of Offspring
Some scientific discoveries in the animal world are so shocking that it has even left the scientists stunned. While some species exhibit unexpected behaviors, others defy the established biological rules as well. Each of these discoveries has pushed the boundaries of science, showing how diverse our planet is. In one such shocking discovery, researchers have found that a surprisingly tiny creature, the Iberian harvester queen ant, is capable of giving birth to two entirely different species. This was revealed in a new study titled, "One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants," which was published in the journal Nature.
The unusual reproductive trait came to light after over five years of extensive research, during which the team analyzed over 120 ant populations across Europe. By sequencing the genomes of hundreds of ants and conducting detailed lab experiments, the scientists found that a single queen ant was laying eggs that hatched into two completely different species, one covered in hair and the other nearly hairless, as reported by CNN. Scientists discovered that these ant queens, also known as Messor ibericus, were somehow cloning males from another species, Messor structor.
The queens then used the cloned males’ sperm to produce hybrid worker ants, which run most of the ant colony. The strange process is termed ‘xenoparous.’ This change is because, around a million years ago, Iberian harvester ant queens lost their ability to make their own worker ants. While we don’t know why this change happened, to keep their colonies alive, the queens began mating with Messor structor ants nearby. Researchers have said that it’s unlike anything they have seen before and challenges what we have known about evolution and reproduction, as reported by Popular Mechanics. Jonathan Romiguier, a senior researcher and one of the lead authors of the study, also spoke about the strange finding.
He said, “We had a strong suspicion that something was very unusual about this species, but to be honest, we were far from imagining just how unusual it really was. It was this paradox that led us to investigate the case more closely.” Moving ahead, experts now want to study how Iberian harvester queens manage this unusual cross-species cloning at the cellular level. By uncovering how ants manage to pull off this process, scientists hope to get clues that could one day help in developing artificial cloning methods in other species as well.
Jessica Purcell, an assistant professor who authored an article that accompanies this research, said, “Figuring out the precise order of events in the female reproductive tract and the extent to which the queen can control the outcome for each egg is one of the many possible future directions of study in this amazing system. I am really looking forward to seeing what Jonathan Romiguier and his team will tackle next!” Purcell also described the recent finding as groundbreaking, explaining that although ants are known for their unusual mating strategies, the Iberian harvester ants stand out as one of the strangest species that still hold many unanswered questions.
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