last updated 30.Nov.2007 |
Ant Worker Castes
Most ants in a typical colony are sterile females called workers.
They forage for food, construct and defend the nest, care for queens and
brood, and perform many other labors essential to the maintenance and growth
of the colony. A majority of ant species have a monomorphic
(single-sized) worker caste, but many species have workers of varying
sizes, often specialized for performing different tasks. Some
species have morphologically modified workers that are dedicated to nest
guarding ("soldiers"), these often have large heads
with powerful mandibles. A few species have replete
workers that serve as living storage containers, their bodies swollen
with liquid food.
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Monomorphic worker caste:
Polymorphic worker caste:
Soldiers:
Repletes:
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