Trap-jaw ant mandibles close at extremely high speeds. This movie was filmed at 50,000 frames per second and is played here at 30 frames per second. It shows a dorsal view of the mandibles closing onto a thin wire.
Trap Jaw Ant Videos
High Speed videography and video analysis are one of the research tools used by the Patek Lab when studying the mechanics of movement. Below are a selection of videos used in past research.
All | Mechanics of Movement | Sound in the Sea | Mantis Shrimp | Spiny Lobster | Trap-Jaw Ant | Miscellaneous
All | Mechanics of Movement | Sound in the Sea | Mantis Shrimp | Spiny Lobster | Trap-Jaw Ant | Miscellaneous
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Jaw jumping in trap-jaw ants can be elicited through "dangerous" situations, such as when an intruder enters the arena. This ant aims its jaws toward the ground and launches itself into the air. Filmed at 3000 frames per second, played back...
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Trap-jaw ants (Odontomachus bauri) can launch themselves into the air to escape potential predators or aggressive intruders. This ant aimed its jaws toward the substrate and launched itself into the air. Filmed at 3000 frames per...
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Trap-jaw ants can toss each other away during fights. This video shows two different species of Odontomachus trap-jaw ants fighting. Filmed at 3000 frames per second, played here at 30 frames per second.
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This trap-jaw ant (Odontomachus bauri) fired its jaws against a pair of forceps and launched itself into the air. Filmed at 3000 frames per second and played back at 30 frames per second.
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This video shows a trap-jaw ant (Odontomachus bauri) that fired its jaws against a hard surface and launched itself into the air (filmed at 3000 frames per second, played back at 30 frames per second).
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Filmed at 3000 frames per second and played back at 30 frames per second, this video shows a trap-jaw ant (Odontomachus bauri) firing its jaws against a hard surface and launching itself backwards.
