How much does the ant weigh? Let's understand

How much does the ant weigh? A similar question at first glance is somewhat strange. How much can a creature weigh, which in length does not exceed 0.5 centimeters? But everything, as is known, is known in comparison. The most important parameter that determines the dimensions Insect, and also its weight is determined by belonging to one of three colonies: females, males and worker ants. Each caste differs not only in its purpose, but also in appearance. Working individuals, as a rule, have the smallest parameters. Females and males are the largest. Three workers can weigh as much as one male ant weighs. By the way, the life expectancy of workers is very modest - one season, while individual queens can live up to 12 years.

The second term to answer the question of how much the ant weighs is what sub-family the particular being belongs to. To date, scientists distinguish about 12 thousand species, of which only about 300 inhabit the territory of Russia. Representatives of the smallest kind - monomorium - have sizes from 1 to 4 Millimeters. And the largest species - Gamponotus gigas - is represented by the following individuals: workers - 2 centimeters, males - 1.8, soldiers - 2.8, uteruses - 3.2 centimeters. Such dimensions are very significant. A large Gamponotus gigas-ant weighs up to 150 milligrams. And the largest ants in the history of the planet are fossils - they have died out in the process of evolution. Representatives of the genus Formicium had a body length of up to 7 centimeters, and the span of their wings reached 15. How many ant weighs this species, alas, can only be calculated mathematically.

These insects are rather small creatures, and their constitution consists of "weightless" elements: tendrils, joints, stems. Only the head, epinotum and abdomen represent certain categories for the calculation of body weight . But with such small parameters, ants make up 10 to 25% of the terrestrial biomass of overground animals, since they are widespread (they do not live only in Antarctica and some islands). This volume is due to the fact that their civilization has a very high organization, this type of insects with ease changes and adapts to new habitats, the colony can use various types of resources for life.

In antiquity, the percentage of their biomass was not so high - only 1%. Ants began to prevail at the very beginning of the Tertiary period, after adaptive radiation. At this point, their number was up to 40% of the biomass of terrestrial animals. Of those genera, one-tenth survived to the present day, almost unchanged. Ants are one of the oldest creatures on the planet. The oldest fossil specimen found in a piece of amber on the beach of New Jersey is 130 million years old. How much does the ant of the Mesozoic age weigh, it is difficult to say, as its body has dried up and undergone some chemical treatment.

Ants are a very interesting object for observation. These are highly social and intellectual beings. They have their own preferences and rules. Very high strategy and tactics of war. And most importantly, unlike the human community, they follow not fashion, but traditions, and therefore could live for as many millions of years.