Leaf cutter ants, Atta sp., with members of different polymorphic castes of the colony - soldier, various types of workers
The "hitchhiking" smaller worker ant (a minim) is hypothesized to carry out numerous functions including checking the leaf for microbes and protecting the larger worker ant from attack by a parasitic fly. Rainforest, Chilamate, Costa Rica
Size: 3872px × 3186px
Photo credit: © Martin Shields / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: america, ant, ants, arthropod, arthropods, atta, biological, carrying, caste, castes, central, costa, cutter, fauna, forest, formicidae, hiker, hiking, hitch, hitchhiker, hitchhiking, holding, hymenoptera, hymenopteran, insect, insects, leaf, leaf-cutter, leafcutter, minim, myrmicinae, neotropical, polymorphism, polymorphisms, rain, rainforest, rica, riding, soldier, soldiers, tropical, worker, workers
