Monster ants: Utah entomologist discovers 33 new species

Monster ants: Utah entomologist discovers 33 new species


4 photos
Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: Less than a minute

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A University of Utah biologist has discovered some ants he says look like monsters under a microscope.

Entomologist Jack Longino has identified 33 previously unknown species of predatory ants in Central America and the Caribbean.

The biology professor calls the ants the stuff of nightmares. He says they have fierce jaws bristling with sharp teeth from faces that look like shields.

Some have jaws that work sideways for a more terrifying look.

Longino has published his findings online in the journal "Zootaxa."

The new ant species are tiny — smaller than a grain of rice. They live amid rotting wood and dead leaves on forest floors, feasting on soft-bodied insects. Some coat themselves with a thin layer of clay, possibly as camouflage.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Photos

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

UtahScience
Associated Press

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast