T H E E N D C O M M U N E

The Weird Autothysis

I want to introduce you, reader, to the Camponotus saundersi, a species of ant which possess a rather abnormal mechanism of defense. The workers have large glands that run the entire length of the ant’s body, and the ant may in cornered situations release the contents of the glands, committing suicide (“autothysis”; the process of self-destruction via an internal rupturing or explosion of an organ). The rupturing of these glands will spray toxic substance from the head, which will entangle and immobilize nearby attackers/victims. which gives the species its colloquial name, “exploding ant”. It is very cool, I think.