Immortal Ants

I have written a few times about the intelligence and sophistication of ant colonies. They offer an exemplary model of what may be described as emergent cognitive qualities, in that the ant collective exhibits far greater acumen than any single ant possesses. Thus, while an individual ant is a simple critter with very little conscious capabilities, the whole colony exhibits highly developed behavior that almost seems to demonstrate an elevated level of cognizance… in fact, a kind of intelligence.

The result is that an ant colony is centered around the life of its queen, who may live for as long as 30 years. During that reign the group acts as a superorganism—an entity that exhibits capabilities far beyond any one individual’s potential, which expires only when the queen reaches the end of her existence; when the colony finally threatens to collapse.

There is one species of ant, however, that displays a kind of immortality. Their colonies do not cease when a 30-year-old queen finally dies, but find a way for a daughter ant to assume the queen's role, allowing the community to carry on.

This exceptional ant species is named the Indian Jumping Ant... and it's indigenous to India—not the Americas. For this species of ant, the queen will, at some point, actually die; but rather than have the colony collapse with Her Royal Highness, a group of “chosen” workers—all sisters—compete to assume her throne. This process begins by their ovaries expanding, while their brains shrink. A successful queen need not be at all smart, as she is reverently cared for and fed, while her main duties are to churn out eggs.

After the queen dies, half a dozen or so of the chosen sisters find their ovaries swelling to some five times their unproductive size, as their brains shrink some 20-25%. Since a brain is an energy hog, this allows more energy to be sent to egg production. Eventually one candidate queen triumphs and becomes the new queen—creating what is essentially an ongoing immortal colony.

What is even more extraordinary is that the losing queen candidates find their ovaries shrinking, as their brains once again grow.  The individual brain may be primitive, but the collective cognition emerges as very intelligent. Wouldn't it be nice if human brains—once relieved of the requirement of procreation, could expand and become wiser?