Convergent con artists: How rove beetles keep evolving into army ant parasites
Thursday, March 9, 2017 - 15:52
in Biology & Nature
Marauding across the forest floor, aggressive army ant colonies harbor hidden enemies in their ranks -- parasitic beetles. Through dramatic changes in body shape, behavior, and pheromone chemistry, the beetles gain their hosts' acceptance, so they can feast on their brood. These beetles arose at least a dozen separate times from non-ant-like ancestors. This discovery provides evidence that evolution has the capacity to repeat itself in an astonishingly predictable way.