Une découverte qui pourrait amener à interroger la définition même du terme "espèce".
Des fourmis moissonneuses ibériques (Messor ibericus) ont développé la capacité de créer des œufs de leur espèce, mais aussi... d'une autre espèce (Messor structor).
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Des fourmis moissonneuses ibériques (Messor ibericus) ont développé la capacité de créer des œufs de leur espèce, mais aussi... d'une autre espèce (Messor structor).
1/2
September 17, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Une découverte qui pourrait amener à interroger la définition même du terme "espèce".
Des fourmis moissonneuses ibériques (Messor ibericus) ont développé la capacité de créer des œufs de leur espèce, mais aussi... d'une autre espèce (Messor structor).
1/2
Des fourmis moissonneuses ibériques (Messor ibericus) ont développé la capacité de créer des œufs de leur espèce, mais aussi... d'une autre espèce (Messor structor).
1/2
"Una madre da a luz a hijos de dos especies distintas".
Parece imposible, ¿verdad? ¡Pues agarraos!
Un estudio publicado en Nature sugiere que las reinas de Messor ibericus 🐜 son capaces de producir descendencia de una especie completamente distinta 😱.
Pero... ¿Para qué? 🧵👇
Parece imposible, ¿verdad? ¡Pues agarraos!
Un estudio publicado en Nature sugiere que las reinas de Messor ibericus 🐜 son capaces de producir descendencia de una especie completamente distinta 😱.
Pero... ¿Para qué? 🧵👇
September 13, 2025 at 11:11 AM
"Una madre da a luz a hijos de dos especies distintas".
Parece imposible, ¿verdad? ¡Pues agarraos!
Un estudio publicado en Nature sugiere que las reinas de Messor ibericus 🐜 son capaces de producir descendencia de una especie completamente distinta 😱.
Pero... ¿Para qué? 🧵👇
Parece imposible, ¿verdad? ¡Pues agarraos!
Un estudio publicado en Nature sugiere que las reinas de Messor ibericus 🐜 son capaces de producir descendencia de una especie completamente distinta 😱.
Pero... ¿Para qué? 🧵👇
New article about Messor harvester ant phylogeny and evolution funded by @erc.europa.eu in @isemevol.bsky.social resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Phylogenomics of Messor harvester ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Stenammini) unravels their biogeographical origin and diversification patterns
Phylogenomic analysis of 2524 ultraconserved-element loci from 58 Messor harvester ant species helps in redefining taxonomic groups of the genus. Messor ants emerged in the Irano-Indian area around ...
resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
July 22, 2025 at 3:54 PM
New article about Messor harvester ant phylogeny and evolution funded by @erc.europa.eu in @isemevol.bsky.social resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
It's never occurred to me that it IS an assumption. This is the most astonishing start to a paper I've read in years:
"Living organisms are assumed to produce same-species offspring. Here, we report a shift from this norm in Messor ibericus, an ant that lays individuals from two distinct species."
"Living organisms are assumed to produce same-species offspring. Here, we report a shift from this norm in Messor ibericus, an ant that lays individuals from two distinct species."
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature
In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same mother having distinct genomes and morphologies.
www.nature.com
September 24, 2025 at 5:26 PM
It's never occurred to me that it IS an assumption. This is the most astonishing start to a paper I've read in years:
"Living organisms are assumed to produce same-species offspring. Here, we report a shift from this norm in Messor ibericus, an ant that lays individuals from two distinct species."
"Living organisms are assumed to produce same-species offspring. Here, we report a shift from this norm in Messor ibericus, an ant that lays individuals from two distinct species."
Esta hormiga cosechadora, 𝑀𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠, guarda un secreto: si pierden a su reina, las obreras pueden criar hembras por partenogénesis, sin necesidad de machos. Una rareza. Come, sobre todo, semillas 🐜. #observacióndelasemana 📷 en León por Sergio Ibarra:
🟢 spain.inaturalist.org/observations...
🟢 spain.inaturalist.org/observations...
October 2, 2026 at 8:09 AM
Esta hormiga cosechadora, 𝑀𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠, guarda un secreto: si pierden a su reina, las obreras pueden criar hembras por partenogénesis, sin necesidad de machos. Una rareza. Come, sobre todo, semillas 🐜. #observacióndelasemana 📷 en León por Sergio Ibarra:
🟢 spain.inaturalist.org/observations...
🟢 spain.inaturalist.org/observations...
Supongo que son hormigas Messor. Me habéis hecho tirarme al suelo, guapas.
February 15, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Supongo que son hormigas Messor. Me habéis hecho tirarme al suelo, guapas.
Look at this crazy thing!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature
In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same moth...
www.nature.com
September 3, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Look at this crazy thing!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
hello yes sorry i can't work today, still busy thinking about Messor ibericus
September 5, 2025 at 1:32 AM
hello yes sorry i can't work today, still busy thinking about Messor ibericus
The Sto Helits's "Non timetis messor" is a good one
August 12, 2026 at 7:07 PM
The Sto Helits's "Non timetis messor" is a good one
January 14, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Messor doodles. @hypnoidiot.bsky.social Our son! #furry
July 6, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Messor doodles. @hypnoidiot.bsky.social Our son! #furry
Messor ibericus, Proatelurina, Neoasterolepisma and Microhodotermes for a study on Zygentoma diversity within nests of ants and termites. @biojairo.bsky.social
#silverfish #entomology #ants #termites
#silverfish #entomology #ants #termites
March 19, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Messor ibericus, Proatelurina, Neoasterolepisma and Microhodotermes for a study on Zygentoma diversity within nests of ants and termites. @biojairo.bsky.social
#silverfish #entomology #ants #termites
#silverfish #entomology #ants #termites
¿¡¿¡ Una hormiga reina que produce descendencia de DOS ESPECIES DIFERENTES ?!?! 😱😱😱
Esto tenemos que comentarlo 😉
Imagina que estás en Sicilia, feliz en la isla, estudiando hormigueros de la especie / Messor ibericus / 😄
...
Esto tenemos que comentarlo 😉
Imagina que estás en Sicilia, feliz en la isla, estudiando hormigueros de la especie / Messor ibericus / 😄
...
September 14, 2025 at 5:59 PM
¿¡¿¡ Una hormiga reina que produce descendencia de DOS ESPECIES DIFERENTES ?!?! 😱😱😱
Esto tenemos que comentarlo 😉
Imagina que estás en Sicilia, feliz en la isla, estudiando hormigueros de la especie / Messor ibericus / 😄
...
Esto tenemos que comentarlo 😉
Imagina que estás en Sicilia, feliz en la isla, estudiando hormigueros de la especie / Messor ibericus / 😄
...
Messor capitatus
August 9, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Messor capitatus
🚨 🐜 is there a Bluesky starter pack for researchers who don’t study ants but who get lightheaded every time there’s an awesome ant paper? CC @mariusw.bsky.social @jrichardalbert.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature
In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same moth...
www.nature.com
September 3, 2025 at 6:47 PM
🚨 🐜 is there a Bluesky starter pack for researchers who don’t study ants but who get lightheaded every time there’s an awesome ant paper? CC @mariusw.bsky.social @jrichardalbert.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...
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De nombreuses fourmis peuvent s'accoupler avec d'autres espèces de fourmis pour produire des ouvrières hybrides.
Mais ici l'espèce présente, Messor ibericus, est capable de pondre ses propres œufs, ainsi que ceux de l'autre espèce, Messor structor.
Source : www.nature.com/articles/s41...
De nombreuses fourmis peuvent s'accoupler avec d'autres espèces de fourmis pour produire des ouvrières hybrides.
Mais ici l'espèce présente, Messor ibericus, est capable de pondre ses propres œufs, ainsi que ceux de l'autre espèce, Messor structor.
Source : www.nature.com/articles/s41...
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature
In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same moth...
www.nature.com
September 17, 2025 at 8:17 AM
2/2
De nombreuses fourmis peuvent s'accoupler avec d'autres espèces de fourmis pour produire des ouvrières hybrides.
Mais ici l'espèce présente, Messor ibericus, est capable de pondre ses propres œufs, ainsi que ceux de l'autre espèce, Messor structor.
Source : www.nature.com/articles/s41...
De nombreuses fourmis peuvent s'accoupler avec d'autres espèces de fourmis pour produire des ouvrières hybrides.
Mais ici l'espèce présente, Messor ibericus, est capable de pondre ses propres œufs, ainsi que ceux de l'autre espèce, Messor structor.
Source : www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Aqui vai uma das coisas mais bizarras que já vi formigas fazerem – e elas são criativas.
Acharam uma espécie de formiga onde a rainha precisa cruzar com machos de outra espécie para produzir operárias. Ela tb produz machos dessa outra espécie (da qual divergiram há mais de 5 milhões de anos).
Acharam uma espécie de formiga onde a rainha precisa cruzar com machos de outra espécie para produzir operárias. Ela tb produz machos dessa outra espécie (da qual divergiram há mais de 5 milhões de anos).
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature
In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same moth...
www.nature.com
September 3, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Aqui vai uma das coisas mais bizarras que já vi formigas fazerem – e elas são criativas.
Acharam uma espécie de formiga onde a rainha precisa cruzar com machos de outra espécie para produzir operárias. Ela tb produz machos dessa outra espécie (da qual divergiram há mais de 5 milhões de anos).
Acharam uma espécie de formiga onde a rainha precisa cruzar com machos de outra espécie para produzir operárias. Ela tb produz machos dessa outra espécie (da qual divergiram há mais de 5 milhões de anos).
breaking news: ant-i normal reproduction! 🐜
The species Messor ibericus seems to produce both its own offspring and those of Messor structor (from another species). With no fathers detected, hybrid workers still appear.
Where’s the species line?
🔗🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The species Messor ibericus seems to produce both its own offspring and those of Messor structor (from another species). With no fathers detected, hybrid workers still appear.
Where’s the species line?
🔗🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature
In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same moth...
www.nature.com
September 5, 2025 at 8:55 PM
breaking news: ant-i normal reproduction! 🐜
The species Messor ibericus seems to produce both its own offspring and those of Messor structor (from another species). With no fathers detected, hybrid workers still appear.
Where’s the species line?
🔗🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The species Messor ibericus seems to produce both its own offspring and those of Messor structor (from another species). With no fathers detected, hybrid workers still appear.
Where’s the species line?
🔗🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
December 13, 2024 at 1:43 PM
Messor barbarus & Lasius flavus [2024]
#throwbackthursday
I can't remember if I shared these here? D:
Two commissioned ant illustrations, featuring a queen as well as several worker type ants from two different species.
I used the amazing photos by John Hennequin and Eduard F. Niga for reference!
#throwbackthursday
I can't remember if I shared these here? D:
Two commissioned ant illustrations, featuring a queen as well as several worker type ants from two different species.
I used the amazing photos by John Hennequin and Eduard F. Niga for reference!
November 13, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Messor barbarus & Lasius flavus [2024]
#throwbackthursday
I can't remember if I shared these here? D:
Two commissioned ant illustrations, featuring a queen as well as several worker type ants from two different species.
I used the amazing photos by John Hennequin and Eduard F. Niga for reference!
#throwbackthursday
I can't remember if I shared these here? D:
Two commissioned ant illustrations, featuring a queen as well as several worker type ants from two different species.
I used the amazing photos by John Hennequin and Eduard F. Niga for reference!
This one is super cool www.nature.com/articles/s41...
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature
In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same moth...
www.nature.com
February 12, 2026 at 7:21 PM
This one is super cool www.nature.com/articles/s41...
☀️Zeckery Elgara (sometimes canon Rook)
💀Fox O'Wilde
🩸Sorin Candide
🐍Kina Candide
🐈⬛Jade
🐦⬛Dante Messor
⚓Reynaud Alimar
🖌️Philepe -Montclair-
💀Fox O'Wilde
🩸Sorin Candide
🐍Kina Candide
🐈⬛Jade
🐦⬛Dante Messor
⚓Reynaud Alimar
🖌️Philepe -Montclair-
September 13, 2026 at 7:43 PM
☀️Zeckery Elgara (sometimes canon Rook)
💀Fox O'Wilde
🩸Sorin Candide
🐍Kina Candide
🐈⬛Jade
🐦⬛Dante Messor
⚓Reynaud Alimar
🖌️Philepe -Montclair-
💀Fox O'Wilde
🩸Sorin Candide
🐍Kina Candide
🐈⬛Jade
🐦⬛Dante Messor
⚓Reynaud Alimar
🖌️Philepe -Montclair-
So this ant...can give birth to male clones of its own species AND of a different species... then mates with the male clones of the other species to produce hybrid workers...and mates with males of its own species to produce new queens... 🐜
Yo these ants are wildin'
🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Yo these ants are wildin'
🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature
In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same moth...
www.nature.com
September 4, 2025 at 12:24 AM
So this ant...can give birth to male clones of its own species AND of a different species... then mates with the male clones of the other species to produce hybrid workers...and mates with males of its own species to produce new queens... 🐜
Yo these ants are wildin'
🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Yo these ants are wildin'
🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
2)
Resulta que en los hormigueros a veces aparecen machos de / Messor ibericus /, lógico.
¡Pero también se encuentran algunos machos de otra especie, / Messor structor /!
Y esto ocurre EN TODOS, TO-DOS, los hormigueros de / M. ibericus / 🤔🤔
...
Resulta que en los hormigueros a veces aparecen machos de / Messor ibericus /, lógico.
¡Pero también se encuentran algunos machos de otra especie, / Messor structor /!
Y esto ocurre EN TODOS, TO-DOS, los hormigueros de / M. ibericus / 🤔🤔
...
September 14, 2025 at 6:00 PM
2)
Resulta que en los hormigueros a veces aparecen machos de / Messor ibericus /, lógico.
¡Pero también se encuentran algunos machos de otra especie, / Messor structor /!
Y esto ocurre EN TODOS, TO-DOS, los hormigueros de / M. ibericus / 🤔🤔
...
Resulta que en los hormigueros a veces aparecen machos de / Messor ibericus /, lógico.
¡Pero también se encuentran algunos machos de otra especie, / Messor structor /!
Y esto ocurre EN TODOS, TO-DOS, los hormigueros de / M. ibericus / 🤔🤔
...
Huge colony of Messor barbarus in the @MuseumOrleans. I'll answer to visitor questions this Sunday!
December 20, 2024 at 12:08 AM
Huge colony of Messor barbarus in the @MuseumOrleans. I'll answer to visitor questions this Sunday!