Trap-jaw ants are infamous for having one of the strongest bites among all animals, but we didn’t really understand how they evolved from more traditional jaws. A new study looking at their evolutionary history found that the distinctive mechanism behind trap-jaws has evolved independently several times across the globe. Unlike normal gripping jaws, which open and close through the contraction of muscles, trap-jaws use a complex mechanism to latch themselves open and clamp down when needed. This mechanism allows the jaws to store energy much like a spring, and this can be released to produce a lot of force quickly.
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