Here's the killer ant "from mars"

The Martialis heureka, a new species of blind, subterranean, predatory ants

New discovery by german scientists
German scientists have discovered a new species of ant, that is the oldest ant ever discovered. It was found in the rainforest of Amazonas

Last year a separate team from the museum's research body was in the forest investigating fungus when they stumbled upon the tiny insect, and named it "Martialis heureka". (The ant from mars)

Resembling a miniature wasp, the insect is like no other ant, and probably dates back 120 million years, making it the oldest still inhabiting the earth, Verhaagh said. The scientists used DNA samples from its front leg to establish its likely age.

The last discovery of a new ant species was in 1923




news.yahoo.com...

[edit on 17-9-2008 by Daniem]

[edit on 17-9-2008 by Daniem]

Wow! I wonder if it gives you any illness if it bites!
nice find!

cool, whats with the three legs though? do scientists also have an unatural urge to rip off bugs legs?

I wish there was more to the story

If they checked the age of the ant using DNA... then how old was the ant?

What leads them to believe this ant originated more than 120 million years ago?

Also, being 3mm long in the rain forests of the Amazon... seems to be somewhat of an underdog to have lasted as long as they claim.

Wow, that has to be the most misleading headsline I´ve seen in a while!

I believe it´s 3 legs on one side have been removed so as to be able to photograph the ant on it´s side on a glass slide.

And too small to survive the rainforest? It´s a subterranean ant, as in UNDERGROUND. That should provide ample cover for this small predator.

reply to post by Psychopump

And too small to survive the rain forest? It´s a subterranean ant, as in UNDERGROUND. That should provide ample cover for this small predator.

Didn't say it couldn't survive in the rain forest, said underdog

Are you saying the ants in question are 'top of the food chain' and have no worries?

Lasting for millions of years and only just being discovered now?

I posed the question of the reasoning behind them stating these ants have been around for 120 million + years .

How many other creatures meet this time span???

And thanks for pointing out that ants live underground, the knowledge on here overwhelms me sometimes

I believe there is still thousands of things in the amazon that we haven't found.
It is such a large dense place its impossible to say civilized humans have been everywhere in there and found everything that exist.

Originally posted by Grailkeeper
reply to post by Psychopump

 

And too small to survive the rain forest? It´s a subterranean ant, as in UNDERGROUND. That should provide ample cover for this small predator.

Didn't say it couldn't survive in the rain forest, said underdog

Are you saying the ants in question are 'top of the food chain' and have no worries?

Lasting for millions of years and only just being discovered now?

I posed the question of the reasoning behind them stating these ants have been around for 120 million + years .

How many other creatures meet this time span???

And thanks for pointing out that ants live underground, the knowledge on here overwhelms me sometimes

Thanks for the sarcasm, I needed that.
I believe that when scientists name an ant species specifically as subterranean, that they are referring to a totally subterranean lifestyle. As in hunting/food gathering, water collection (if they do that) etc ALL UNDERGROUND, whereas most ants DO venture out of their colonies onto the surface.

it probably would look like a wasp if it were the oldest lesser evolved ant... ants evolved from wasps!

One of the most interesting things I've seen on ATS for a while! Flag and star for you.