Zinc provides the cutting-edge
Report by Hima Sutha
Delhi, Sep 24: A new study published by the University of Oregon states that Atta cephalotes, a group of leafcutter ants, have the presence of metal – zinc – manganese, in their teeth.
For the research, the leaf cutter ants were obtained from Flores, Guatemala and Arena Forest Reserve, Trinidad. Through the study, it was revealed that a web of zinc atoms and manganese atoms was attached to the Atta cephalotes’s jaws. The presence of zinc and manganese atoms gives the teeth the durability (the ability to remain sharp for a long time) of steak knives!
Through previous research, the team knew that zinc atoms were attached to the jaw, but they weren’t sure about how they were arranged. Zinc atoms are present in a higher quantity than the manganese atoms. Zinc is a Heavy Element Biomaterial (HEB) and is distributed evenly throughout the teeth, helping the ants to have the strength to cut through tough objects. The team calculated that the presence of zinc or manganese in an exoskeleton decreased the amount of pressure that is required to penetrate materials like wood and leaf by an average of 60%. Therefore, this makes it easier for these vegetarian ants to feed on hard substances.
