The new Acrophylla alta species is more than a foot long and weighs about a tenth of a pound.
A newly identified ant species in Bulgaria is giving researchers a chance to learn more about one of Europe’s most unusual insect groups.
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An international team of scientists has announced the discovery of a new species of harvester ant, named Messor odrysarum.
Researchers say these types of ants are also known for cryptic diversity, meaning many species appear nearly identical to the naked eye but are genetically distinct.
(L. Borowiec / FOX Weather)
The discovery was made by researchers Albena Lapeva-Gjonova of Sofia University in Bulgaria and Lech Borowiec of the University of Wrocław in Poland. They said the ant species is part of the Messor genus, a group of harvester ants known for their unusual reproductive behaviors and complex genetic diversity.
Some Messor ants are considered among the most interesting insects in Europe because their queens can reproduce through xenoparity, a rare process where they produce or clone offspring of a completely different species.
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An international team of scientists discovered a new species of harvester ants.
(L. Borowiec / FOX Weather)
Researchers said these types of ants are also known for cryptic diversity, meaning many species appear nearly identical to the naked eye, but are genetically distinct. This has made identifying and classifying Messor ants a major challenge for taxonomists.
According to the study, the discovery brings the total number of recognized Messor ant species in Bulgaria to nine.
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Messor odrysarum is a lowland species that has been documented in Bulgaria’s Eastern Rhodopes region.
Researchers found the ants living in nests along dirt roads within oak forests and open grasslands.
According to the study, the discovery brings the total number of recognized Messor ant species in Bulgaria to nine.
(L. Borowiec / FOX Weather)
The nest entrances are built at ground level, and researchers observed seed remains near the entrances during late summer, providing clues about the species’ feeding habits.
Researchers named the species odrysarum in honor of the ancient Thracian state of Odrysia, which was founded in the early 5th century B.C.
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This region’s historical borders include the area where the newly discovered ant species was found.
