Fast Trap Jaws and Giant Neurons in the Ant Odontomachus
Wulfila Gronenberg 1,
Jürgen Tautz 1, and
Bert Hölldobler 1
1 Theodor Boveri Institut, Lehrstuhl für Verhaltensphysiologie und Soziobiologie der Universität, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
Ants of the ponerine genus Odontomachus use a trap jaw mechanism when hunting fast prey. When particular trigger hairs, located on the inner edge of the mandibles, are touched by prey, the jaws close extremely rapidly and trap the target. This trap jaw response lasts only 0.33 to 1 millisecond. Electrophysiological recordings demonstrated that the trigger hairs function as mechanoreceptors. Associated with each trigger hair are large sensory cells, the sensory axons of which measure 15 to 20 micrometers in diameter. These are among the largest sensory neurons, and their size implies that these axons conduct information very rapidly.
Submitted on June 15, 1993
Accepted on August 12, 1993
