33 NEW ANT SPECIES, SOME NAMED FOR MAYAN LORDS AND DEMONS
A University of Utah biologist has identified 33 new species
of predatory ants in Central America and the Caribbean, and named about a third
of the tiny but monstrous-looking insects after ancient Mayan lords and demons.
“These new ant species are the stuff of nightmares” when
viewed under a microscope, says entomologist Jack Longino, a professor of
biology. “Their faces are broad shields, the eyes reduced to tiny points at the
edges and the fierce jaws bristling with sharp teeth.
“They look a little like the monster in ‘Alien.’ They’re
horrifying to look at up close. That’s sort of what makes them fun.”