New breed of ruffi-ant found in Manhattan

Cebu : Philippines | Sep 03, 2012 at 12:44 AM PDT

By skooter

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Skooter reporting 09/03/12

The Big Apple has a new species of ant, it got a rare style and distinct “New Yawk” accent. Seriously now, biologist have discovered six-legged New Yorkers never-before-seen breed of the prehistoric insect living in the Broadway medians at 63rd and 76th streets.

Rob Dunn, a biology professor at North Carolina State University, whose team found the insect said it’s a relative of the cornfield ant, and it’s likely from Europe, but we can’t go with any of the European species. Adding that it’s new to North America and believed it’s new to the whole world.

At this moment, researchers dubbed the reddish-brown bug as the “ManhattAnt” which until now has not yet been given an official scientific name. They presumed the “ManhattAnt” may have evolved due to its isolation in the concrete jungle, where it has adapted to a warmer, drier urban atmosphere. Possibly the city-dweller ant could also have been an undocumented species that arrived in the city by boat or by air and was known only and discovered later while colonizing on Broadway.

NYP

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CONCRETE JUNGLE: The ant (top) found on the median at 63rd and Broadway is believed to be a heretofore undiscovered species.

skooter is based in Cebu, Central Visayas, Philippines, and is an Anchor for Allvoices.

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New breed of ruffi-ant found in Manhattan | TopStoriesDaily.com

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The Big Apple has long had its unique style of bagel and distinct “New Yawk” accent. Now it has its own species of ant. Biologists studying six-legged New Yorkers have discovered a never-before-seen breed of the prehistoric insect living in ...