Lukas Schrader
@shaggyschrader.bsky.social
I like ants. I like TEs.
Evolutionary Biologist at the Institute for Evolution & Biodiversity (University of Münster)
schraderl.github.io
Evolutionary Biologist at the Institute for Evolution & Biodiversity (University of Münster)
schraderl.github.io
And while I am at it, here's a queen of Nesomyrmex wilda.
August 22, 2025 at 7:52 AM
And while I am at it, here's a queen of Nesomyrmex wilda.
This is a worker of Cardiocondyla thoracica, next to a Drosophila.
August 22, 2025 at 7:50 AM
This is a worker of Cardiocondyla thoracica, next to a Drosophila.
This queen of Cardiocondyla obscurior gently embraces a batch of eggs and small larvae. This species we know most about as it has been a lab model for nearly 20 years now, pioneered by Jürgen Heinze in Regensburg.
December 23, 2024 at 9:16 AM
This queen of Cardiocondyla obscurior gently embraces a batch of eggs and small larvae. This species we know most about as it has been a lab model for nearly 20 years now, pioneered by Jürgen Heinze in Regensburg.
This one is a worker of Cardiocondyla venustula tending to a pupa. We collected this colony over ten years ago in South Africa. Like many Cardiocondyla species, these ants mate in the nest and colonies continuously rejuvenate themselves this way.
December 17, 2024 at 6:32 AM
This one is a worker of Cardiocondyla venustula tending to a pupa. We collected this colony over ten years ago in South Africa. Like many Cardiocondyla species, these ants mate in the nest and colonies continuously rejuvenate themselves this way.
Back to Cardiocondyla. Here’s a bunch of C. nuda workers harassing another C. nuda worker. This happened in the same colony, so not sure what went wrong here.
Maybe our lab colonies are just growing too big at times and the ants take matters in their own hands.
Maybe our lab colonies are just growing too big at times and the ants take matters in their own hands.
December 16, 2024 at 8:42 PM
Back to Cardiocondyla. Here’s a bunch of C. nuda workers harassing another C. nuda worker. This happened in the same colony, so not sure what went wrong here.
Maybe our lab colonies are just growing too big at times and the ants take matters in their own hands.
Maybe our lab colonies are just growing too big at times and the ants take matters in their own hands.
This shouldn't go in a Cardiocondyla thread, but whatever... :) This is Nesomyrmex wilda, a "close" relative of Cardiocondyla (note the similarly wide post-petiolus!). They diverged ~50 mya & few other ants (maybe none) are more closely related. The males are of the typical, unspectacular variety.
December 16, 2024 at 11:30 AM
This shouldn't go in a Cardiocondyla thread, but whatever... :) This is Nesomyrmex wilda, a "close" relative of Cardiocondyla (note the similarly wide post-petiolus!). They diverged ~50 mya & few other ants (maybe none) are more closely related. The males are of the typical, unspectacular variety.
Here’s probably the coolest thing about Cardiocondyla. An ergatoid male of C. venustula. These males fight for the reproductive monopoly and try to kill each other. We know very little about how and why this evolved. So, loads still to learn!
December 15, 2024 at 2:34 PM
Here’s probably the coolest thing about Cardiocondyla. An ergatoid male of C. venustula. These males fight for the reproductive monopoly and try to kill each other. We know very little about how and why this evolved. So, loads still to learn!
Next one: Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi. We collected this colony in Okinawa in 2022 or so and they are thriving in the lab. The species‘ workers are bigger than those of C. wroughtonii but they move a lot quicker. So: happy to get a decent picture!
#entomology #macro
#entomology #macro
December 14, 2024 at 9:59 PM
Next one: Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi. We collected this colony in Okinawa in 2022 or so and they are thriving in the lab. The species‘ workers are bigger than those of C. wroughtonii but they move a lot quicker. So: happy to get a decent picture!
#entomology #macro
#entomology #macro
Ok. I am trying to find time to take pictures of the various Cardiocondyla species we have in the lab now. Starting with this tiny, really tiny!, Cardiocondyla wroughtonii worker. The larva she carries is even tinier! Hard to believe…
December 13, 2024 at 5:28 PM
Ok. I am trying to find time to take pictures of the various Cardiocondyla species we have in the lab now. Starting with this tiny, really tiny!, Cardiocondyla wroughtonii worker. The larva she carries is even tinier! Hard to believe…
We recently published a paper in Genome Research and I now got a copy of the issue. It does hit differently to have a physical rather than just a pdf copy. 🤩
November 17, 2024 at 10:33 AM
We recently published a paper in Genome Research and I now got a copy of the issue. It does hit differently to have a physical rather than just a pdf copy. 🤩