The African ants of Megaponera analis not only are very aggressive, but also are the only insects capable to help the wounded fellows. Today, on April 13, the research group of the biological center of Würzburg university has published the report that these ants evacuate the wounded fighters from "battlefield" and give them "medical" help.
Ants of Megaponera analis have received the informal name for the skills of mass road hunting the matabel (Matabele ant) — in honor of the people to a matabela, in the 19th century conquered many tribes of South Africa. These ants have occupied almost all African continent to the south of the Sahara and hunt on termites.
Ants to a matabela come back from successful "campaign"
As groups of termites workers protect larger termites soldiers possessing powerful jaws, attacks of ants to a matabela often come to an end with a large number of the killed and wounded individuals. Studying behavior of these insects, scientists have found out that the wounded ant allocates the odorous secret attracting relatives who evacuate him in an ant hill and give help (for example, delete the remains of a termite which have got stuck in the victim's body).
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The ant to a matabela transfers the wounded relative
"We for the first time observed similar behavior in relation to the injured invertebrates. It was especially surprising to see it at the social insects living colonies where life of an individual usually little means to colony in general. But, probably, ants to a matabela highly appreciate life of wounded and save them for maintenance of number of colony", – the graduate student Eric Frank participating in a research has told.
Fight of ants to a matabela with termites
