Ancient Ant Fossil from 100 Million Years Ago Reveals Primitive Ants Had 'Complex Social Lives' [Study]

Ants are known for being intelligent, social insects since they communicate with one another, building their colonies with an organized social structure. What makes ants unique is their hierarchical units or cases, starting from the queen, drones, and the workers. As seen in documentaries and previous research, some ant species can even colonize large areas, called supercolonies.

However, the intellectual and social evolution of these insects has been a mystery in the past until recently. Based on a June 2024 study, researchers found an ancient ant fossil dating back 100 million years ago. The collected specimen revealed that primitive ants had "complex social lives." The findings also show the onset of the social life of early ants and further understanding of their advanced social behavior.

Ancient Ant Fossil

New findings about ant social life through ancient ant fossil was published in the journal Science Advances on Friday, June 14. In this new study, an international team of researchers from Japan and the United States found sensory evidence of complex communication and advanced sociality among early ants. The fossil was exhumed from amber, with preserved internal organs, in Myanmar.

The US and Japan team examined three fossils of Earth's oldest known ant species, called Gerontoformica gracilis. Focusing on the primitive ants' antennae, the researchers developed a specialized microscopy technique to better analyze the fossil antennae. The study has considered the discovery as significant since scientists are still uncertain as to when the ants' social lifestyle evolved.

For instance, science is still in the dark when it comes to determining whether early ants already communicated with each other via chemicals on their body, either as members of a shared colony or habitats. Yet, it is clear the modern-day ants are capable of communication through chemicals called pheromones, by using their antennae to smell them.

Future research about an ant's advanced sociality is expected to further examine current or hidden primitive ant fossils, waiting to be discovered. Currently, the ant fossil from the Myanmar amber is owned by the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Social Behavior Evolution

The new study based its findings on the premise that ants, bees, termites, and wasps are capable of advanced social behavior, also known as eusociality. This social trait allows these insects to dominate over and compete with solitary animal species. The strongest evidence of their eusociality is based on the number and quality of colonies or nests that these social insects have built since time memorial.

In this context, the evolution of ants and eusociality has become an interest for scientists. Based on research since the 1960s, experts concluded that social behavior among animals, including insects, evolved through the mechanism of natural selection. Scientists explain that living in groups is more beneficial than solitary animals, which can be killed more easily by their predators.