Ant brains reveal how evolution turned hunger into parenting
Ant parenting may have evolved from the same brain systems that once controlled hunger. Researchers found that two chemical signals push clonal raider ants toward either caring for larvae or leaving to forage, with the balance changing as the ants grow older. Similar signals are involved in mammalian caregiving, suggesting that evolution may have followed the same basic blueprint across very…
A recent study in Nature reveals how ants evolved from non-parental ancestors to become caregivers. By studying clonal raider ants, researchers discovered that evolution adapted existing neural pathways, originally regulating hunger and feeding, to produce parental behavior. This process involved repurposing ancient brain systems, rather than creating entirely new ones.
The findings could provide valuable insights into similar processes in mammals, including humans. The study's lead author, Daniel Kronauer, explains that evolution often takes existing biological systems and repurposes them, sometimes with surprising results. Ants have a well-defined social structure that allows them to study how behavior shifts as the brain ages.
Young ants remain in the nest to care for larvae, while older ants forage for food. By monitoring hundreds of caregiving interactions, the researchers identified neuromodulatory mechanisms that overlap between ants and mice, making ants a valuable research model. These mechanisms, specifically neuropeptide F (NPF) and allatostatin A (AstA), control the transition from caring for larvae to foraging as ants age.
When levels of NPF increase and AstA decreases, ants become more likely to care for larvae. Conversely, when NPF levels decrease and AstA levels increase, ants are more inclined to forage. The researchers found that altering the activity of these molecules directly influences the ants' behavior. The study also confirms that parental behaviors, like feeding offspring, build on the neural circuitry responsible for feeding.
This suggests that parental care evolved by adapting brain systems already responsible for finding and consuming food. The researchers plan to map the specific neural circuits affected by NPF and AstA, which could help uncover how chemical signals translate into caregiving behavior. This research could also help scientists understand the shared biological strategy for parenting across different animal species.
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