The descent of ant: field-measured performance of gliding ants

The Journal of Experimental Biology
Yonatan MunkRobert Dudley

Abstract

Gliding ants avoid predatory attacks and potentially mortal consequences of dislodgement from rainforest canopy substrates by directing their aerial descent towards nearby tree trunks. The ecologically relevant measure of performance for gliding ants is the ratio of net horizontal to vertical distance traveled over the course of a gliding trajectory, or glide index. To study variation in glide index, we measured three-dimensional trajectories of Cephalotes atratus ants gliding in natural rainforest habitats. We determined that righting phase duration, glide angle, and path directness all significantly influence variation in glide index. Unsuccessful landing attempts result in the ant bouncing off its target and being forced to make a second landing attempt. Our results indicate that ants are not passive gliders and that they exert active control over the aerodynamic forces they experience during their descent, despite their apparent lack of specialized control surfaces.

References

Feb 11, 2005·Nature·Stephen P YanoviakMichael Kaspari
May 10, 2005·The Journal of Experimental Biology·John J SochaMichael LaBarbera
Jun 7, 2005·The American Naturalist·Jimmy A McGuire, Robert Dudley
Apr 20, 2006·The Journal of Experimental Biology·S P Yanoviak, R Dudley
Feb 7, 2008·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Greg ByrnesAndrew J Spence
Mar 19, 2008·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Ardian JusufiRobert J Full
Mar 28, 2009·Biology Letters·Stephen P YanoviakRobert Dudley
Mar 20, 2010·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Stephen P YanoviakRobert Dudley
Nov 26, 2010·Bioinspiration & Biomimetics·John J SochaPavlos P Vlachos
May 12, 2011·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Robert Dudley, Stephen P Yanoviak
May 13, 2011·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Stephen P YanoviakRobert Dudley
Sep 21, 2011·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Ardian JusufiRobert Dudley
Dec 21, 2012·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·Joseph W BahlmanKenneth S Breuer
Feb 9, 2013·Current Biology : CB·Gal RibakMoshe Inbar
Mar 1, 2014·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Diane H TheriaultTyson L Hedrick
Jun 13, 2014·The Journal of Experimental Biology·S P Yanoviak, D N Frederick
Aug 12, 2014·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Yonatan MeresmanMoshe Inbar

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Citations

Aug 21, 2015·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·Stephen P YanoviakRobert Dudley
Feb 17, 2017·Bioinspiration & Biomimetics·Isaac J YeatonShane D Ross
Jan 19, 2019·Bioinspiration & Biomimetics·Ngoc Thien TruongHoon Cheol Park
Dec 11, 2019·Insects·Lakshminath KundanatiNicola M Pugno
Feb 7, 2017·Interface Focus·Yu ZengRobert Dudley
Feb 7, 2017·Interface Focus·William R T RoderickDavid Lentink
May 31, 2015·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Yu ZengRobert Dudley

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