Finishing up processing field notes and photos from a trip to Sierra San Diego in the El Tigre complex in Sonora. A great trip with a wonderful group of biologists!
Prebus
- 67 Followers
- 200 Following
- 9 Posts
ant nerd, nature dork, art dweeb
Searching for ants along the Three Rivers trail in the White Mountain wilderness of New Mexico. We had four rattlesnake encounters in a single day!
2/2 We also confirmed the observation made by the Wheelers back in the '60s that Manica parasitica is really "shaky". Maybe this is an "adaptive manipulation" by the parasite?
1/2 We (re)rediscovered Manica parasitica in the Sierra Nevada. Originally, this ant species was thought to be a free-loading parasite that uses the nests and brood care of its host Manica bradleyi for its own survival.
Instead, "Manica parasitica" is tapeworm-infested Manica bradleyi.
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2023.0399