A Tale of Turtle Ants and Soldier Evolution

Beyond this core finding, one of the especially enjoyable aspects of this study was the use of an explicit model derived from known biological dynamics in turtle ants. Such a model framework allows for the proposed hypotheses to be tested in a more rigorous, quantitative way, and the assumptions underlying the model can be adjusted to test alternative hypotheses. Even if the disruptive selection explanation for caste origins is challenged in the future, this work by Planqué and colleagues highlights the utility of explicit, biologically-informed models for addressing evolutionary hypotheses in ants.