

Two ants, two species, one mother
7 snips Sep 3, 2025
Nick Petrich Howe, a reporter focused on fascinating natural phenomena, dives into the astonishing reproductive abilities of the Iberian Harvester Ant, which can produce offspring from two distinct species. This discovery raises intriguing questions about species classification. The podcast also touches on life expectancy trends stalling due to child mortality, and how urban light pollution makes birds sing longer. Additionally, innovative research on steel truss bridges reveals mechanisms that enhance their resilience against collapse, crucial for modern infrastructure.
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Queen Produces Males Of Another Species
- Messor ibericus queens produce males genetically matching a different species, Messor structor, without fathers present.
- Queens combine ancient hybrid mating with asexual cloning to sustain hybrid worker production on Sicily.
Sperm Parasitism Plus Cloning Explains Hybrids
- The mechanism appears to pair sperm parasitism with cloning to make males of another species.
- Cloned Messor structor males then mate with new queens to produce hybrid workers without wild fathers.
Findings Blur What 'Species' Means
- This case challenges the biological species concept because one mother produces offspring classifiable as two species.
- Researchers debate whether genetic or life-cycle integration should determine species identity here.