The ants of this genus are pale, blind and small, measuring only 1-2 millimeters. They are named after the main anti-hero of Harry Potter – Voldemort.
A new species of ant has been discovered in Australia. Because of its pale color and habit of living underground, the insect is named after the Harry Potter villain Voldemort. This was reported by IFLScience.
Two specimens of the ants were found in the Pilbara region of northwestern Australia. To do this, scientists lowered the net into a 25-meter hole and scraped its walls.
Leptanilla voldemort has a very slender body, as well as long, spindle-shaped antennae and legs and long, sharp mandibles (upper jaw). In addition, these ants are almost transparent.
“The Leptanilla voldemort is almost certainly a predator, a fearsome hunter in the dark. This is supported by what we know from some observations of the hunting behavior of other Leptanilla ant species,” said study co-author Mark Wong.
What L. voldemort forages for is unknown, but subterranean invertebrates collected in the same area include centipedes, beetles and flies.
Leptanilla is a genus of hard-to-catch ants, which includes about 60 species. They form small colonies and nests and feed only underground.
Ants of this genus are pale, blind and small – only 1-2 millimeters in size – and are therefore rarely collected and poorly studied.
In fact, L. voldemort is only the second species of Leptanilla to be documented in Australia, the first being Leptanilla swani, which was described in 1932 and rarely seen since then.
It was previously reported that in Brazil, scientists have created genetically modified mosquitoes.
Source: korrespondent
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