Invasive yellow crazy ants create male ‘chimeras’ to reproduce
This unusual reproduction method may help these ants rapidly spread
![A close up photo of three yellow crazy ants on a bright white background.](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/040523_MP_ant-chimeras_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
In yellow crazy ants, female workers (one shown at left) and males (two on right) are produced by combining sex cells from two distinct genetic lineages. But the DNA-filled nuclei don’t merge in males, meaning they carry two types of cells with distinct genetic material, or genomes.
© Hugo Darras