Florida carpenter ants (Camponotus floridanus) amputate injured limbs of fellow ants, with surprising survival rates, according to a new study published in the journal Current Biology.
Ants diagnose infection status and treat wounds accordingly, amputating legs at the base or femur for severe thigh injuries to prevent infection from spreading, while cleaning less severe lower leg injuries through intensive licking.
The amputation process involves cooperation among ants, and they amputate legs completely in some cases, with a success rate of around 90-95% for the amputated ants surviving, while lower leg injuries have a 75% success rate with licking care.
Ants carefully choose between wound cleaning and amputation based on the type of injury and the risk of infection, with amputation resulting in higher survival rates and being performed quickly to prevent infection.
Researchers are studying other ant species to determine the prevalence of amputation behavior and the use of antimicrobial compounds for wound treatment.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: The Guardian, NPR, PopSci, Independent, LiveScience, New Scientist, Gigazine, Telegraph India, Business Insider, Interesting Engineering, Mirage News, IFLScience, Kent Citizen Tribune.