Trap-jaw ant cocoon. Close-up of a trap-jaw ant (Odontomachus bauri) pupa, undergoing metamorphosis to become adult. This Central and South American a

---

Trap-jaw ant cocoon. Close-up of a trap-jaw ant (Odontomachus bauri) pupa, undergoing metamorphosis to become adult. This Central and South American ant species has spring-loaded serrated jaws to allow it to trap prey quickly. The jaws can close within milliseconds, moving at over 50 metres per second, which makes them among the fastest movements in the animal world. They also use this power to propel themselves away from attackers, achieving heights of up to metres and horizontal distances of cm.

---

Size: 5197px × 3425px
Photo credit: © PATRICK LANDMANN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1, anatomical, anatomy, animal, animals, ant, antenna, antennae, ants, arthropod, arthropods, background, bauri, biological, biology, black, close-, cocoon, cycle, deadly, detail, entomological, entomology, fast, fastest, insect, insects, invertebrate, invertebrates, jaw, jaws, jumping, large, life, life-cycle, life-stage, mandible, mandibles, metamorphosis, mouthpart, mouthparts, movement, movements, nymph, odontomachus, poneromorph, quick, single, specialised, specialist, stage, transforming, trap, trap-jaw, zoological, zoology