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The jumps of Australian Myrmecia ants

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posted on 2024-11-04, 05:55 authored by Daniel M. Allman

Insects are astonishing jumpers and have been the focus of much research since the mid-1900s. This attention stems from the fact that their jumps are executed with intricate choreographies and powered by a myriad of strategies. My thesis explores the jumps of insects across two chapters. In the first, I review the current literature surrounding jumping insects by exploring the mechanisms they use to power their jumps, the context in which they jump, and identifying some gaps in our knowledge. In the second, I investigate the jumps of eight species of Australian Myrmecia ants in which certain species are known to jump. I describe the jump choreography of Myrmecia ants from the gulosa, mandibularis, nigrocincta, and pilosula species groups using high-speed videography. The videos were subjected to frame-by-frame analyses from which I quantified several variables to describe species-specific take-off kinematics. I found that five of the eight Myrmecia species jumped, including two from the gulosa complex. All ants used the middle and hind legs when jumping. The smallest species had the quickest take-off times and velocities. I discuss the variation in kinematics found between closely related species and its significance in the context of morphology, phylogeny, and foraging time.

History

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The jumps of insects -- Chapter 2: The jumps of Australian Myrmecia ants -- Conclusion -- References -- Supplementary material

Awarding Institution

Macquarie University

Degree Type

Thesis MRes

Degree

Master of Research

Department, Centre or School

School of Natural Sciences

Year of Award

2024

Principal Supervisor

Ajay Narendra

Additional Supervisor 1

Mohsen Asadniaye Fard Jahromi

Additional Supervisor 2

Trevor Murray

Rights

Copyright: The Author Copyright disclaimer: https://www.mq.edu.au/copyright-disclaimer

Language

English

Extent

71 pages

Former Identifiers

AMIS ID: 361359

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