Hell-like Ancient Ants with Horns

 How far we've evolved...

Some 99 million years ago an ant unlike any alive today was in the midst of a savage scythe-jawed attack when dripping plant resin froze the insect, along with its prey, in a final predatory tableau.

Now, new research based on this amber-tinted window into the Cretaceous confirms that so-called “hell ants” made a killing with the help of recurved mandibles that swung upward, pinning or even impaling prey against a horn-like protrusion sticking out of its forehead, reports Lucy Hicks for Science.

A 99-million-year-old piece of amber trapped this worker hell ant grasping an ancient relative of modern cockroaches in its unique jaws, which swung upwards unlike all modern ants. NJIT, Chinese Academy of Sciences and University of Rennes, France



Food for thought, friends!  

and on that note... have a great Thanksgiving, if you celebrate.  See you back next week.