A species of marauder ant called Carebara diversa, sometimes known as the “East Indian harvesting ant,” is widespread throughout Asia.
Description
As a eusocial insect, C diversa has constant allometric variation in size and morphology, which makes task distribution and workload splitting easier. Major workers are substantially larger than minor workers, which range in length from 1.3 to 2.5 mm. The skulls of the largest workers can be roughly 12 times bigger than those of their smallest counterparts. A large significant worker’s dry weight might be up to 550 times greater than that of its tiniest counterpart. The division of effort between them is consistent with these size-related morphological variations. For instance, little, immature, minor workers are experts at tending to the larvae but as they get older, they expand their duties.
Minor workers have bodies that range from reddish brown to golden brown. Their antennal scapes are small and do not extend past the back of the skull, and each of their mandibles has five “teeth.” The bodies of major workers range from reddish brown to blackish brown. Their heads are virtually square in shape, proportionally larger, and have a convex posterior border when viewed from the front. Major workers have huge, triangular mandibles with an acute apical “tooth.” Their masticatory edges are devoid of distinct “teeth”. Their antennal scapes are just half as long as their heads, and their eyes are fairly small.
Behavior
Large colonies that are formed by C. diversa are frequently discovered in the soil or under rocks. This species gathers nectivorous materials as well as small creatures like insects as prey. Regularly forming long columns for foraging, these ants occasionally cover their pathways with arcades made of dirt fragments. They maintain these lines using pheromone trails, and if the trails are blocked, chaos and crowding result. 94% of people failed to pass a roadblock in the foraging path, according to one study, and eventually the column would make a detour around such barriers. This species’ minors are frequently seen “hitchhiking” on the big majors to go along the trail more efficiently.
Range
There aren’t many field reports of it occurring in Japan, despite the fact that Okinawa Island and Chicchi-jima Island are two of its most southern discovered locations.
Biology
This species, which is possibly the best-known representative of the group formerly known as Pheidologeton, is typically found in open, disturbed habitats like gardens and forest margins but is less prevalent in deep forests. They engage in continuous foraging behavior known as group hunting, when large groups of workers build lengthy, dense trails. These trails, also known as trunk trails, are made possible by enormous colonies made up of many hundreds of thousands of workers and can last for days. They are known as “marauder ants” due to their sophisticated foraging techniques.
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