Self-destructive species: from exploding ants to postnatal octopuses

Animals that sacrifice their lives, for their homes or offspring - or just because they're in the wrong place at the wrong timeEarlier this month, a group of scientists described a newly discovered ant species, Colobopsis explodens, in the journal ZooKeys. As the name suggests, the worker ants of the species, which is found in south-east Asia, are known to explode when attacked, releasing sticky, toxic fluid from their abdomens. The explosion kills the ant, which sacrifices itself to protect its nest mates. Continue reading...