Trap-Jaw Ants Break Speed Records With Jaws

Ant writes to tell us UC Berkeley News is reporting that a species of Ant native to Central and South America is setting speed records with their jaws. The trap-jaw ant has been clocked closing its mandibles at between 78 and 145 miles per hour, said to be the "fastest self-powered predatory strike in the animal kingdom". In addition to blinding speed the ants have also been taped using their jaws to fling themselves into the air.

The jaw is quicker than the eye

[MECC]

The average duration of a strike was a mere 0.13 milliseconds, or 2,300 times faster than the blink of an eye.The average duration of a strike was a mere 0.13 milliseconds, or 2,300 times faster than the blink of an eye.

Notice that at no time do my jaws leave my head...

More on-topic than ever before

[alx5000]

It's no wonder, then, that O. bauri ants can launch themselves into the air with a mere snap of their jaws, achieving heights up to 8.3 centimeters and horizontal distances up to 39.6 centimeters.

I, for one, welcome our new [jaw-propelled] insect overlords!

Perhaps less impressive is the ants' apparent inability to control the direction of their jumps, or even their orientation when landing.

Or maybe not...

Doping Probe

[Anonymous Coward]

Anybody check to see if there were banned substances in the ant?

Moo

[Chacham]

What i learned from the article.

1) Black ants can jump.

The researchers used a high-speed video camera filming at 50,000 frames per second to visualize the mandible movements.

2) If i want a high-speed camera, become a researcher.

The jumps were detailed at a relatively slower 3,000 frames per second.

3) Jumping is slower than eating.

The average duration of a strike was a mere 0.13 milliseconds, or 2,300 times faster than the blink of an eye.

4) Blinking is slower than eating.

Yet, the researchers note that even when an ant lands on its back or head, the insect is so light that it can still walk away no worse for wear.

5) These ants are light headed.

I for one

[Rob T Firefly]

welcome our insectoid jaw-flapping overlords.

And I mean it, too. With yaps like that, they'll be stars of international politics in no time flat.

Quick mouth?

[nick13245]

This ant reminds me of some girls I know...

Jaw-jumping

[Anonymous Coward]

So this is like rocket-jumping in Quake, right?

Been watching Fox News channel again, I see?

[krell]

"welcome our insectoid jaw-flapping overlords"

Don't tell me: Another Ann Coulter appearance on Hannity and Colmes last night?

White ants

[hc5duke]

1) Black ants can jump.

Yes, but white ants have sound fundamentals, and they are deceptively fast [blogspot.com]. It has been reported that with advancements in genetic engineering [time.com], Chinese ants will soon be just as good.

Re:Been watching Fox News channel again, I see?

[bunions]

> Don't tell me: Another Ann Coulter appearance on Hannity and Colmes last night?

FLAWLESS VICTORY!!

Re:More on-topic than ever before

[Red Flayer]

The researchers suggest that the "popcorn effect" of multiple ants jumping at once may also serve to help them escape by confusing potential predators.

Sounds to me like they'll ever make it in the US anyway -- disguising yourself as a tast salty morsel is pretty poor mimicry from an evolutionary standpoint.

Do they come in butter flavor?

Re:Doping Probe

[debilo]

No, but he later suggested that the unusually high ratio of distance to time in his mandible sample could be explained by the beer and Jack Daniels shots he had the night before.

That ant must be a Kennedy.

Re:Another fun fact about bugs...uncomfortable

[fahrbot-bot]

Pound for pound, fleas have the largest "members" in the animal kingdom.

Anyone else uncomfortable with the phrases "pound for pound" and "largest member" being used in the same sentence?

Re:Another fun fact about bugs...uncomfortable

[debilo]

Anyone else uncomfortable with the phrases "pound for pound" and "largest member" being used in the same sentence?

Not me. It's comments like those that made me get a Slashdot account.

Ahh bith mahhh tonth

[Zildy]

Let's hope they can retract their tongue at record breaking speeds.

Re:The jaw is quicker than the eye

[wiggles]

Meh. This is nothing. My girlfriend can flap her jaws much faster than this.

Re:Ants and computers

[Drooling Iguana]

Nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Space-Time Dimensions

[kike]

"The trap-jaw ant has been clocked closing its mandibles at between 78 and 145 miles per hour"

Shouldn't that be in bites per second?

----------
Still here
http://blogoscare.blogspot.com/ [blogspot.com]

Ninja myths dispelled!

[binarybum]

After watching those videos, I have retracted my previously firm belief that ninjas are mammals. Arthropods can obviously be ninjas as well.

  In that first video that ant disappears from the site of the ant that is watching him, trims his toenails and files his tax return in mid air before landing directly behind his unsuspecting neighbor all in less than a second. Amazing.

What are the odds?

[djupedal]

"...fastest self-powered predatory strike..."

So, you've met my x-wife and lived to tell about it, eh?

Re:Quick mouth?

[Bugs42]

What's this? A Slashdotter that knows girls? Sir, I accuse you of lying.

Colmes

[krell]

Come to think of it, Alan Colmes really DOES look like a giant bug.

What, no lasers?

[tfurrows]

C'mon folks, how can we welcome our new overlords if they don't have lasers or rockets strapped to their bodies? Are they heat-seaking? Where's the pizazz?

Here's what I think we should do:

1. Find the worlds fastest predatory strike
2. Strap a rocket and laser to the animal/bug/lawyer/software_company which posesses it
3. ???
4. Profit!!!

(that was my first, 1-2-3 profit post... I feel a part of the community now)

Re:The jaw is quicker than the eye

[JesseL]

There is still some debate as to whether a computer simulation of a woman can be called a "girlfriend".

This just in...

[argStyopa]

...these scientists have never seen my g/f's response when she sees my paycheck in my hand.

"fastest self-powered predatory strike in the animal kingdom" my ass.

Taking the bait

[StikyPad]

According to TFA, they calculated the speed by using a high speed camera, and calculated that the ant closed its jaws on the bait in 130 microseconds. The record for opening a jaw though, at 110 microseconds after seeing the "bait," is still held by Paris Hilton.

KBPS

[kn0tw0rk]

Only if they can then open their mouth as fast.
Then you could have a killa-bites-per-second.