In a discovery that is shaking the foundations of evolutionary biology, researchers have revealed that the Iberian harvester ant queen (Messor ibericus) possesses the extraordinary ability to give birth to males of two completely different species. This means that a single queen can lay eggs that develop into her own species as well as into the closely related, but genetically distinct, Messor structor.
This groundbreaking study, recently published in Nature, introduces an entirely new reproductive strategy in the natural world — a phenomenon researchers are now calling xenoparity, which literally translates to “giving birth to a foreigner.”
Solving a Biological Mystery
The discovery began when scientists attempted to explain the puzzling presence of Messor structor traits within colonies of Iberian harvester ants, even in locations thousands of kilometers away from known Messor structor populations. The paradox led Dr. Jonathan Romiguier, a senior evolutionary biologist at the University of Montpellier, and his team to launch a five-year genetic study involving over 120 colonies across Europe.
What they found stunned the scientific community: ant queens that could delete their own nuclear DNA from fertilized eggs, leaving behind only the genetic code of stored sperm from another species. In effect, the queen was cloning males of Messor structor while simultaneously producing hybrid worker females to sustain her colony.
How Xenoparity Works
- Pure offspring: Iberian queens still produce their own males and new queens to preserve the bloodline.
- Hybrid workforce: By using stored sperm from Messor structor, they create thousands of sterile female workers who maintain the colony.
- Cloned males: Astonishingly, the queens can generate true Messor structor males that are virtually identical to those produced by structor queens.
This dual reproductive pathway gives the Iberian harvester ant colonies a competitive survival advantage, allowing them to thrive in regions far beyond the natural habitat of Messor structor.
An Evolutionary Time Bomb?
While this strategy appears successful now, evolutionary biologists warn it could spell trouble in the long run. Because cloned males have almost no genetic variation, harmful mutations could accumulate over generations, eventually threatening the survival of the species.
As Dr. Jacobus J. Boomsma from the University of Copenhagen explains:
“It is a brilliant short-term survival strategy, but history shows that most species relying heavily on asexual or cloned reproduction tend to face extinction within a few million years.”
Why This Matters
The implications extend far beyond the world of ants. Understanding how Iberian harvester queens manipulate DNA to clone another species could provide clues for genetic engineering, cloning research, and reproductive medicine. Scientists believe studying this natural system might eventually help in fields ranging from conservation biology to human health.
A Glimpse Into the Future
The research team plans to dive deeper into the cellular mechanics of this process. How does the queen’s body decide which egg becomes her own offspring and which is rewritten into another species? Can the precise mechanism of maternal DNA removal be mapped? These questions remain open.
As Dr. Jessica Purcell from the University of California noted:
“This is one of the strangest reproductive systems ever discovered. It challenges our very definition of what a species is and shows us just how flexible evolution can be.”
For now, one thing is clear: the Iberian harvester ant queen has rewritten the rulebook of biology — and scientists are only beginning to understand the consequences.
