International – An international study led by the University of Lausanne, in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong, analyzed the social patterns of more than 3,000 ant species to understand how these insects have colonized practically all terrestrial environments, except Antarctica.
The research, published in the *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*, identified that the
social adaptation of ants depends on the climate and the type of biome, observing three key characteristics: the size of the colony, the number of queens, and the morphology of the workers.
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According to the findings, ants exhibit
three main models of social organization depending on the environment:
- Tropical zones: Small colonies with a single queen and high morphological diversity among the workers.
- Arid environments: Large colonies with several queens and different types of workers, adapted to extreme temperature conditions and scarcity of resources.
- Temperate zones: Colonies with several queens and workers of similar morphology, favored by the seasonality of resources and climate.
The study shows that
climate, geography, and seasonality have been key evolutionary forces in shaping the social behavior of ants, showing how their social diversity reflects a remarkable capacity for adaptation to different environments.
This work provides a broad perspective on the
evolution and adaptability of ants, solidifying their role as one of the most successful insect groups on the planet.
