The jumps of Australian Myrmecia ants

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.