Biomineral armor in leaf-cutter ants
H. Li, C.-Y. Sun, Y. Fang, C. M. Carlson, H. Xu, A. Jesovnik, J. Sosa-Calvo, R. Zarnowski, H. A. Bechtel, J. H. Fournelle, D. R. Andes, T. Schultz, P. U. P. A. Gilbert, C. R. Currie
The paper discovers a high-magnesium calcite armor in leaf-cutter ants, showing it enhances exoskeleton hardness and protects against predation and fungal infection.
bioRxiv · May 18, 2020Biophysics